Re: Random Number Generator

["alan shore" <SHOREA@xxxxxxxx>]

Yes, using BOTH date (MMDDCCYY format) and time (HHMMSSetc) would definitely 
give something of a uniqueness abut the result. A whole library of books have 
been written about random number generators but as Leif previously wrote, the 
results obtained with this method was satisfactory for the answer to this 
particular problem.

>>> <booth@MartinVT.com> 08/08/01 09:08AM >>>
What happens though if you also retrieve today's Lillian date and do 
something with that and with time?  there would be uniqueness then 
wouldn't there?
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Booth Martin, 802-454-8315 x235
Goddard College Information Services
http://www.Goddard.edu 
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"alan shore" <SHOREA@dime.com>
Sent by: owner-midrange-l@midrange.com 
08/08/01 08:37 AM
Please respond to MIDRANGE-L

 
        To:     <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com>
        cc: 
        Subject:        Re: Random Number Generator


Point taken, but a random number generator should NOT give the same result 
given the same initial data. You wouldn't believe what an incredible 
amount of money has been spent in attempting to create such a piece of 
software. This type of logic was first thought of by the British 
government decades ago, but was scrapped when they realized how limited it 
was. 

>>> "Leif Svalgaard" <leif@leif.org> 08/07/01 05:06PM >>>
From: alan shore <SHOREA@dime.com>

> Surely, this cannot be a random number generator, as the same number 
will
be  generated at the same time of day.

as there are only 10000 possible 4-digit PINs, so what?
If you assign 30000 PINs a day you cycle through every
number three times already. If you don't do that many
PINs, but say only 100, then the chance that you will
the same number is small.



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