On 30.01.2017 at 17:29, Andrea Faulds wrote:
> Christoph M. Becker wrote:
>
>> Just a quick idea:
>>
>> <?php
>>
>> class PNRG {
>> public function __construct($seed = null) {…}
>> public function get() {…}
>> }
>
> I've long favoured an API along these lines. One size does not fit all,
> you need two APIs for (non-crytographic) random numbers:
> - automatically-seeded, non-reproducible numbers (a global function like
> rand())
> - manually-seeded, reproducible number sequences (objects)
>
> Currently we mix these two, and it's a mess. The easy solution would be
> a random number-generating object like you propose, to cover the second
> use-case. We could also introduce a non-manually-seedable global PRNG
> also, if desired. Perhaps as a static method of that class.
>
> One thought: it'd be nice if you had two different methods, one that
> mutates in places, and one that doesn't, i.e.:
>
> $prng1 = new PRNG(SEED);
> [$randomNumber, $prng2] = $prng2->getWithNewPRNG();
>
> v.s.:
>
> $prng = new PRNG(SEED);
> $randomNumber = $prng->get();
> $randomNumber2 = $prng->get();
Thanks, Andrea! I like all your suggestions, and I'd be happy to see a
respective RFC – unfortunately, I won't have time to do this myself in
the near future.
--
Christoph M. Becker
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