From owner-freebsd-current Sun Jun 11 0:19:47 2000 Delivered-To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Received: from grimreaper.grondar.za (grimreaper.grondar.za [196.7.18.138]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8EE3337BA41; Sun, 11 Jun 2000 00:19:37 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from mark@grondar.za) Received: from grimreaper.grondar.za (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by grimreaper.grondar.za (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id JAA70888; Sun, 11 Jun 2000 09:19:37 +0200 (SAST) (envelope-from mark@grimreaper.grondar.za) Message-Id: <200006110719.JAA70888@grimreaper.grondar.za> To: "Andrey A. Chernov" Cc: current@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: mktemp() patch References: <20000610193610.B99504@freebsd.org> In-Reply-To: <20000610193610.B99504@freebsd.org> ; from "Andrey A. Chernov" "Sat, 10 Jun 2000 19:36:10 MST." Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 09:19:37 +0200 From: Mark Murray Sender: owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG > > Think about it. If you mix a random number with a non-random number, > > using xor, what you get is.... a random number. It's neither stronger > > nor weaker. > > No, you'll get weaker random number, it badly affects random distribution. > OR or AND will affect more. What you say is true only if second XOR part is > 0 or -1 or changed between them or simple constant. I.e. if not _all_ bits XORed > in the same way, it affects. Andrey, this is simply not true. A fundamental theorem of randomness is that random bits XORed onto your data is random. How do you think a one-time-pad works? I suggest you read Bruce Schneier's Cryptography book before continuing this debate. M -- Mark Murray Join the anti-SPAM movement: http://www.cauce.org To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-current" in the body of the message