Date: Tue, 24 May 2005 23:06:44 -0400 From: Charles Swiger <cswiger@mac.com> To: Nicolas Blais <nb_root@videotron.ca> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: srandomdev() vs srandom() vs arc4random() Message-ID: <6AA64B10-7064-44AA-A98A-F7F68BBF0F41@mac.com> In-Reply-To: <200505242113.54226.nb_root@videotron.ca> References: <200505242113.54226.nb_root@videotron.ca>
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On May 24, 2005, at 9:13 PM, Nicolas Blais wrote: > I would like to know how "random" (that is, how inprobable a > pattern will > appear) if I use srandom(time(NULL)) instead of srandomdev(). > Also, would arc4random() be any better in getting the least pattern > creation. > Finally, is there is a way to check if the call srandomdev() exists > on other > OSes? srandom() is an adequate RNG, but it tends to have poor distribution of numbers (ie, specific bit patterns are more likely than others). You might want to consider the Mersenne Twister RNG: http://www.math.sci.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/~m-mat/MT/emt.html ...which has appeared under both a GPL and a BSD-flavored license over it's history. -- -Chuck
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