RE: Why random number?

[Dave Boettcher <DBoettch@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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Another application that needs to be random is juror selection.
SELECT JURORS FOR YEAR, MONTH and to APPEAR.

All three selections above must be provably random.  The programmer was
called to court once to describe the random selection and certify that it
was not biased in any way.


-----Original Message-----
From: Lurton Keel [mailto:LKeel@UNARCORACK.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 11:44 AM
To: 'midrange-l@midrange.com'
Subject: RE: Why random number?

You obviously never had to set up a random sampling table for QC or a random
drug testing policy.
Both of these have to be proven to be totally random (Union Shop).

-----Original Message-----

I have a question I have been wanting to ask for a long time.

Every so often, the 'random number' thing comes up.  I have been in
programming for 27 years in the distribution business and never had the
need for a random number.  I can't think of why I would ever want one.

At the risk of appearing incredibly stupid, why would a business
programmer need a random number?