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set_random_source [2006/09/19 03:45] (current) – created - external edit 127.0.0.1
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 +======Synopsis:======
 +[[set]] random_source [<0|1|2|3>]
 +
 +======Description:======
 +The [[rand]]om function generates random numbers.  But what is a random
 +number?  A random number generator is often measured by 3 attributes
 +
 +| Entropy | Given a set of the last <N> random numbers, how likely is it you can guess the next random number? (High entropy means less guessability) |
 +| Distribution | Given a set of the last <N> random numbers, how likely is it each of the possible values of <N> have appeared the same number of times? (High distribution means every value is hit the same number of times) |
 +| Repeatability | Given a set of the first <N> random numbers, how likely is it that you can create the same <N> random numbers again? (High repeatability means you can regenerate the same sequence upon request) |
 +
 +A discussion of the pros and cons of each of these attributes is beyond
 +the scope of this document.  But the client has 4 random number generators:
 +
 +^ Value ^ Description ^ Entropy ^ Distribution ^ Repeatability ^
 +| 0 | Reads from /dev/urandom | High | Medium | No |
 +| 1 | Traditional ircII PRNG | Low | High | Yes |
 +| 2 | gettimeofday() calls | Medium | Low | No |
 +| 3 | arc4random PRNG | High | Medium | No |
 +
 +The factory default value is 0.  Although you can [[set]] the value to 
 +other than 0, 1, 2, or 3, any other values are treated as though you had
 +set it to 3.  If /dev/urandom is not available, then 0 behaves as though
 +you had set it to 1.
 +
 +The random number generator is used by [[rand]] and [[randread]]
 +
 +======History:======
 +The [[set random_source]] variable first appeared in EPIC4pre2.001-NR13.
 +Arc4random support (set random_source 3) first appeared in EPIC4-1.1.8.
 +
 +#$EPIC: set_random_source.txt,v 1.5 2006/09/19 03:45:37 jnelson Exp $
  
set_random_source.txt · Last modified: 2006/09/19 03:45 by 127.0.0.1