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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!whuxlm!akgua!akguc!codas!mikel
From: mikel@codas.UUCP (Mikel Manitius)
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards
Subject: Re: Random Precision
Message-ID: <170@codas.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 7-Oct-85 21:13:23 EDT
Article-I.D.: codas.170
Posted: Mon Oct  7 21:13:23 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 10-Oct-85 06:37:51 EDT
References: <1842@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems (SDSS) - Orlando
Lines: 25

> I'll answer the easy part... 
> > 1.  What good is a random number generator when you have to generate a
> >     random seed to begin with.
> 
> For debugging. If the same series is generated each time (by the same 
> seed) then the program will behave in exactly the same way each time
> it is executed. Remember the `randomize' statement in BASIC? That's
> what it does, sets the seed to the system clock to look more random.

Perhaps this bellongs in net.math, or net.philosophy, but since the
topic is already being discussed here...

I have heard many times that people like the number 17, because it is
"the most random number", I find this statement illogical, as how can
one number be "more random" than another, unless they mean that this
number will occurr most offten when generating "random numbers".

Can anyone speculate?
-- 
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     Mikel Manitius                   ==----=====    AT&T
     (305) 869-2462 RNX: 755         ==------=====   Information Systems 
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     ...attmail!mmanitius             ===========    Altamonte Springs, FL
     My opinions are my own.            =======