RE: Separate threads of random numbers
- Posted by Matthew Lewis <matthewwalkerlewis at YAHOO.COM> Apr 10, 2002
- 371 views
> -----Original Message----- > From: Andy Serpa [mailto:renegade at earthling.net] > Isn't that how they first did it -- roulette wheels and such? The > results didn't LOOK "random enough" so they invented these > algorithms... Actually, [individual] roulette wheels aren't very random. They tend to have very distinct statistical patterns. I believe that a group from some university figured out how to measure and calculate these patterns using computers worn in their shoes, and beat the pants off the casinos. That's one reason why they regularly change the wheels these days. However, I think that now you start to get into the philosophy of random numbers. IMHO, it really depends on what you're doing. If you need totally secret communications, then a one-time cipher based on meteorological data might be just the ticket. If you're generating random outcomes for a GA process, then a decent PRNG is probably good enough. You need to look at the effects and likelihood of prediction and repeatability/patterns. But remember: 1,2,3,4,5 is as likely as 12312,543,23423,245,8907 in a truly random stream. :) Matt Lewis