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From: erik@GOOFY.LLNL.GOV (Erik Johansson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.transputer
Subject: OCCAM2 Random number generator
Message-ID: <9105242042.AA13310@goofy.llnl.gov.>
Date: 24 May 91 20:42:44 GMT
References: <9105241956.AA11915@theory.TC.CORNELL.EDU>
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I haven't used the random number generator in Occam2, so I can't
really comment on it.  However, my experience with system supplied
random number generators on other machines has been less than
wonderful.  You might want to take the time to write your own.
Using a linear congruential algorithm you can write integer and real
uniform generators which are quite simple, yet machine independent.
For the details, I refer you to the following articles:

"Random Number Generators: Good Ones Are Hard to Find"
S. K. Park and K. W. Miller,  Communications of the ACM, October 1988,
Vol 31, No 10, pp 1192 - 1201

"Efficient and Portable Combined Random Number Generators"
P. L'Ecuyer,  Communications of the ACM, June 1988, Vol 31, No 6,
pp 742 - 749, 774

Erik Johansson