And another problem is that a random and unique solution actually reduces randomness as it is run. Each time you eliminate a number, the set of numbers left is reduced. This is even true of an infinate number randomizer. Sometimes i wonder if this fascination with random number generation isnt a good diagnosis of severe case of the geeks.
-----Original Message----- From: "Randall Reetz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "How to use Revolution" <use-revolution@lists.runrev.com> Sent: 11/12/2008 6:18 PM Subject: RE: Random algorithm There is a huge difference between random and unique. If you are after unique then just use the counting numbers. If you need both random and unique you will have to check each number generated against a saved list of every previous number. There is nothing wrong with a random number generator that spits out duplicate numbers. Random is blind to history (and future). Random is not nostalgic. A coin with two sides is just as good at random as a pair of thousand sided dice. Randall -----Original Message----- From: "Dave Cragg" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "How to use Revolution" <use-revolution@lists.runrev.com> Sent: 11/12/2008 5:26 PM Subject: Re: Random algorithm > It would seem that resetting the randomSeed each time you use the > random function would only have a 1-in-4,570,422 chance of getting > the same seed as the previous run, no? Yes, but the chances of having the same seed as any of teh previous runs becomes progressively larger. Is it not a bit like the shared birthdays in a classroom. It only takes 23 people gathered in a room to make the chance of two of them sharing a birthday more than 50%. From my probably poor calculation, I think if you ran your randomSeed algorithm about 2500 times, there would be a 50% chance that the same randomSeed had been chosen at least twice. (At 4000, I think the chance is over 80%) In many situations, I think a repeated sequence would be worse than a biased sequence. A long time since I did this kind of thing, so apologies if I have this wrong. Dave _______________________________________________ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution _______________________________________________ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution _______________________________________________ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
