Re: Random Number Generator

[MWalter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Using your definition in the pure sense, nothing is random. If it is
finite, it can known beforehand. Whether it is a listing of potential
lottery numbers or a pin number, the precision of the number has parameters
therefore all possible values could be listed.





Mark Walter
Sr. Programmer/Analyst
Hanover Wire Cloth a div of CCX, Inc.
mwalter@hanoverwire.com
http://www.hanoverwire.com
717.637.3795 Ext.3040


                                                                                
                                         
                    "Leif Svalgaard"                                            
                                         
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                    owner-midrange-l@mi        Subject:     Re: Random Number 
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From: alan shore <SHOREA@dime.com>

> Objection you honor.....
> Random numbers are unknowable beforehand.                        - Agreed
> Random numbers have no other description than themselves.  - Agreed
> Random numbers are long.----------------------------Disagree, unless the
number
> ooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeee (1) is considered a long
number. seriously thoufg, a number as short as 1 digit can be randomly
generated. A random number generator is any machine that fits the first two
criteria, such as the machines that pick the lotto numbers (or even bingo)
>

the lotto numbers (and your 1-digit number) are not random in the sense
of being unknowable beforehand. It can generate a list of all these numbers
any time I want to. That I don't know which one will win is not important
as far as the randomness is concerned, but is, of course, of some interest
as far as the lottery is concerned.

Imagine that I need a random number to generate a secure session key.
I can generate millions of them in seconds and try them all until I find
the
one that gives me access.

Flipping a (fair) coin may seem to be a random process, but the binary
sequence HTH (head, tail, head) hardly qualifies as a random number.
Now flip the coin 100 times and you have a good (and long) random number.
Nobody else can produce the same number.



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