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Date:      Thu, 01 Mar 2001 03:01:45 -0800
From:      Cy Schubert - ITSD Open Systems Group <Cy.Schubert@uumail.gov.bc.ca>
To:        /dev/null@primenet.com
Cc:        drosih@rpi.edu (Garance A Drosihn), arch@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: rand(3): enough already! 
Message-ID:  <200103011102.f21B2N621253@cwsys.cwsent.com>
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Wed, 28 Feb 2001 07:36:46 GMT." <200102280736.AAA19304@usr05.primenet.com> 

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In message <200102280736.AAA19304@usr05.primenet.com>, Terry Lambert 
writes:
> A bit of a stretch, but...
> 
> Could we just teach people to type "rand()" when they wanted
> "rand()", and "random()" when they wanted "random()"?

If I put my manager's hat on, yes this sounds reasonable.  However both 
of use know better, clueless users use software written by clueless 
developers.   I'm not adverse to keeping rand() as long as we have a 
secure default and those who want to configure their systems like 
traditional UNIX systems do so knowing full well what they are doing, 
and that we've addressed bloat (see the thread entitled " FreeBSD 
sources from 20000" by Mark Murray <mark@grondar.za>.  [Like a fine 
wine I'm mellowing with age, oops I don't have my security 
administrator's hat on. :) ]

> 
> I know, I know, this is like expecting people to type something
> other than "read()" when they want to output data; still, it
> might be worth considering.
> 
> "Oh dear, my parcheesi program which uses "read()" to do output
> on Linux isn't working on FreeBSD!  Let's fix libc!".

Sometimes management solutions work, sometimes they don't.  If I put my 
manager's hat on, I might just agree with you (or just not understand 
you), however putting my propeller hat on, I think you're overreacting 
in these last two paragraphs.  Management solutions, e.g. teaching or 
hiding our heads in the sand, don't always work -- I don't think they 
will work here either.  If removing rand() or having rand() call 
random() is not politically feasible I might understand you from a 
management or political (selling FreeBSD to the Linux and NT masses) 
perspective but from a purely technical perspective your arguments 
don't make sense.  (God, I hate wearing so many hats).


Regards,                         Phone:  (250)387-8437
Cy Schubert                        Fax:  (250)387-5766
Team Leader, Sun/Alpha Team   Internet:  Cy.Schubert@osg.gov.bc.ca
Open Systems Group, ITSD, ISTA
Province of BC




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