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From: Achim Gratz <Stromeko@nexgo.de>
To: emacs-devel@gnu.org
Subject: Re: random doesn't feel very random
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2012 07:17:45 +0200	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <87lih0ykue.fsf@Rainer.invalid> (raw)
In-Reply-To: E1T5qCP-0001eb-Mt@fencepost.gnu.org

Richard Stallman writes:
> It is a feature that, if you don't call (random t), `random' returns
> a predictable sequence.  That is good for debugging.

I recognize that, but it leads directly to the mis-use of (random t) all
over the place.  Wouldn't it be better (in the absence of any API
changes) to have an option to start Emacs with a predictable seed for
debugging and have it use a random seed otherwise?

> Perhaps we should create a different interface for that feature
> and make the default truly random.

Yes.  Again, if applications within Emacs care about that sort of thing
it would really be necessary for them to be able to use their own PRNG
state rather than Emacs' global one, which isn't possible with the
current API.


Regards,
Achim.
-- 
+<[Q+ Matrix-12 WAVE#46+305 Neuron microQkb Andromeda XTk Blofeld]>+

Factory and User Sound Singles for Waldorf Q+, Q and microQ:
http://Synth.Stromeko.net/Downloads.html#WaldorfSounds




  parent reply	other threads:[~2012-08-27  5:17 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 43+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2012-08-24  5:47 random doesn't feel very random Ivan Kanis
2012-08-24  6:22 ` Tassilo Horn
2012-08-24 17:19   ` random doesn't feel very random, random doesn't feel very random, " Ivan Kanis
2012-08-24 18:50     ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2012-08-25  7:46       ` Ivan Kanis
2012-08-24  6:30 ` Leo
2012-08-24 22:48   ` Richard Stallman
2012-08-24 22:57     ` Andreas Schwab
2012-08-25 20:55       ` Richard Stallman
2012-08-25 23:25         ` Leo
2012-08-26 13:12           ` Richard Stallman
2012-08-26 14:24             ` Achim Gratz
2012-08-26 23:22               ` Leo
2012-08-27  0:50               ` Stefan Monnier
2012-08-27  6:31                 ` Simon Leinen
2012-08-27  3:41               ` Richard Stallman
2012-08-27  4:48                 ` Stefan Monnier
2012-08-31  9:41                   ` Eli Zaretskii
2012-08-31 15:06                     ` Stefan Monnier
2012-08-31 15:23                       ` chad
2012-08-31 17:50                       ` Eli Zaretskii
2012-08-31 19:43                         ` Stefan Monnier
2012-09-01  1:18                           ` Paul Eggert
2012-09-01  7:19                             ` Achim Gratz
2012-09-01 13:19                               ` Paul Eggert
2012-09-04 19:19                                 ` Nix
2012-09-04 20:07                                   ` Paul Eggert
2012-09-04 20:11                                     ` Nix
2012-09-02 12:27                               ` Jason Rumney
2012-09-02 13:08                                 ` Stefan Monnier
2012-09-01  7:22                             ` Ivan Kanis
2012-09-01 11:13                             ` joakim
2012-08-31 23:04                       ` Leo
2012-08-27  5:17                 ` Achim Gratz [this message]
2012-08-31  9:42                   ` Eli Zaretskii
2012-08-31 15:07                     ` Stefan Monnier
2012-08-31 17:50                       ` Eli Zaretskii
2012-08-26  9:06         ` Ivan Kanis
2012-08-24  7:03 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2012-08-24  9:10   ` Paul Eggert
2012-08-24 17:45     ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2012-08-24 12:45 ` OT: appropriateness of "random" for playlist generation (was: random doesn't feel very random) Jeremiah Dodds
2012-08-24 14:37 ` random doesn't feel very random Drew Adams

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