Phone interview with SecureWork

A draft dated back at 2009

Just have a phone interview with the SecureWork for a senior java developer position.
The interview style is straight to the point.
Securework: hi, how are your doing tody?
Me: I'm doing well, thank you.
Securework: So the projects we will actually do is ... Now, I will ask you some questions about java to see if you are a good fit.
SecureWork: What's a abstract class?
Me: blablabla.
SecureWork: Ok. In what situation we prefer interface instead of abstract class?
Me: blablabla.
SecureWork: Ok. What is static Class?
Me: blablabla.

The interview going like this for half an hour, all aspects of java are asked. I guess he must have a standard question lists at hand and was keep scoring. The following is the questions I remember.

What is volatile variables?
What is keyword final?
What is keyword finally?
What is keyword static?
Explain auto-boxing.
Can I call a constructor through another constructor?
Can I call method of the super class?
What's the difference between sleep and wait?
In a multi-threading environment, how can you prevent methods to interfering each other?
Can you explain garbage collector?
When an object get garbage collected?
Will an object get garbage collected once it go out of scope?
Will garbage collection prevent memory outrage?
Can you give me an example of memory leakage in java programming?
What's the difference between the handeled and un-handeled Exceptions?
What's the differece between List and Set?
When we use LinkedList instead of Array?
When we use Array instead of LinkedList?
Please explain serilization?
What function you call to make serialization happen?
What's the difference between String and StringBuffer?
What's the difference between InputStream, OutputStream and PrintWriter, PrintReader?
Explain the keyword transient.
What's the difference between stack and queue?
When we use HashMap, and we we use TreeMap?
What is the Generic?
Give an example when you should use generic.
...
SecureWorks: So, I will ask some questions on linux. I have two very large files on two machines. The link between the two machines is very slow. Now I want to compare the two files in a short time, how will you do it?
Me: blablabla.

SecureWorks: Have you worked on database before?
Me: yes, blablabla.

SecureWorks: I will gonna ask you a few questions.
What is an index?
What's the difference between inner join and outer join?

SecureWorks: Now a design question. I have a webserver with heavy traffic. The user submits a word and the system looks up the dictionary and returns the explanation. We want achieve the best performance without too much cost. How will you go for it?

Then it is the interactive disscussion.

Finally, he stopped asking questions and began to introduce the projects they are doing recently and the agile developing strategy they are using for the projects.
He then asked my salary expectation and avialability for onsite interview next week.

I asked him what kind of questions I should prepare. He suggest me to put emphasis on algorithms.

The phone interviw lasts for about 1 hour.