Re: Random number access on the i5

[Vernon Hamberg <vhamberg@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mark

No software=based so-called random number generator is truly random - 
they produce repeatable result sufficiently long before repeating, 
that they act like random numbers for all practical purposes. In 
fact, they are more correctly called pseudo-random number generators.

Hardware generators are better - take a look a this wiki article for 
more thoughts on this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardware_random_number_generator

Regards
Vern

At 11:00 PM 1/31/2008, you wrote:

> I do not believe that a computer can generate a random number. There,
> I said it. Hopefully you can prove me wrong.
>
> I have done a bit of looking, especially with the database random
> number functions. The DB route is really an eye opener.
>
> Is there such a thing as a "certified random number"? I would like to
> get this behind me and I have not found a methodology I can sign off
> on yet. Ideally, any correct algorithm could be multiple platform. I
> am under the impression that it should be CPU dependant and a CPU must
> support it directly with an instruction.
>
> Even if the number appears random, if I can reset the computer clock
> over and over, re-submitting the command 10 or so times starting at
> that exact moment, can I get the same random number? The odds are- no
> in mathematics but yes on the computer. So, my theory is,
> pseudo-random number generation has been more than adequate for
> business solutions. i.e. picking the lucky winner of $millions.
>
> I think it might be safe to go with a derivative of the Global Unique
> Identifier GUID - but we know this GUID is not random either since a
> computer can not generate a random number from pure logic, right?
> -again, reset the clock, etc. etc. The only other seed that makes
> sense to me is the exact moment in time, which of course, should never
> occur again. This seed mixed with a couple of analog inputs might do
> it. The CPU could be aware of it's temperature and something else that
> is unlikely to be repeated at that moment in time. i.e. free
> electrons.
>
> I am not up on anything from the lab concerning random numbers but you
> would think that this would be something that was solved long ago and
> easily accessible in our code- i.e. for all practical purposes,  it is
> certified random.
>
> I will enjoy reading and coding any responses,
> Mark
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