Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2001 04:58:55 -0800 From: Kris Kennaway <kris@FreeBSD.org> To: Terry Lambert <tlambert@primenet.com> Cc: arch@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: cvs commit: ports/astro/xglobe/files patch-random Message-ID: <20010226045855.A34109@hub.freebsd.org> In-Reply-To: <200102261249.FAA16208@usr05.primenet.com>; from tlambert@primenet.com on Mon, Feb 26, 2001 at 12:49:20PM %2B0000 References: <20010225193157.A16118@mollari.cthul.hu> <200102261249.FAA16208@usr05.primenet.com>
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On Mon, Feb 26, 2001 at 12:49:20PM +0000, Terry Lambert wrote:
> > > Ignoring that, what makes you think you can come up with a better
> > > algorithm than Donald Knuth?
> >
> > Me? No, but others have done so. Terry, the existing rand() is a bad
> > algorithm just about any way you look at it.
>
> It's useful because it creates repeatable results with the
> same seed, which are the same for the same seed on other
> platforms.
Well, so does Andrey's replacement.
> Are you going to replace the 48 bit algorithm with an algorithm
> that's cryptographically strong?
Unfortunately, this isn't possible due to standardization
constraints -- I'm thinking of adding an #ifdef LIBC_AUDIT
clause to libc to monitor these so that those of us who care
can modify applications which are using the wrong interface
to use the correct one.
> At least let it be a compile time option, set in make.conf.
This has been requested -- I don't object, so those who are
using unrandom PRNGs can maintain compatability as a
transition mechanism.
Kris
--
In God we Trust -- all others must submit an X.509 certificate.
-- Charles Forsythe <forsythe@alum.mit.edu>
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