I really have a hard time believing that coming from a C/C++/embedded background you couldn't whip up something reasonably workable (linked list) in 15 minutes on a whiteboard. It's usually the people that have gone on to become "architecture astronauts" who can't do it, or the people who could never do it in the first place. I mean it's as much a test of passion as a test of competence. You can see that certain people are physically pained by writing code. They just don't enjoy it and want it to stop. Other people are engaged and clearly want to produce something. Even if their result isn't perfect. If they are verbalizing something relatable as they get stuck on the same stupid ha-duh mistakes you get stuck on when you do your own job day in an day out. For the people who I think are exceptional, this should be refreshing to them, almost nostalgic. No need to worry about browser compatibility of your linked list, no need to worry about its latency, its availability, making a mobile version of it, etc etc etc. It should just be "I haven't done anything this uncomplicated in a long time." Maybe you should just bust out notepad (no compiling!) and try it and time yourself. Without the pressure of someone staring you down, maybe you'll surprise yourself.
I don't know what to say guys. I'm not incompetent but if you want to assume that I am, then I cannot stop you from drawing those conclusions. Let me say this : it's not a matter of comprehension. It's a matter of performing flawlessly under pressure at the whiteboard.
