From: Herbert Kleebauer on
santosh wrote:>
> Herbert Kleebauer wrote:

> > - Does Linux provide a random number? Had to use the time
> > as a workaround.
>
> Yes just read from /dev/random and/or /dev/urandom.

Looks a bit overcomplicated. Does /dev/random exist on any
Linux?
From: Robert Redelmeier on
Herbert Kleebauer <klee(a)unibwm.de> wrote in part:
> santosh wrote:>
>> Yes just read from /dev/random and/or /dev/urandom.
>
> Looks a bit overcomplicated. Does /dev/random exist on
> any Linux?

Yes, the devices are part of the kernel. The links
in /dev might be removed , but that's brain-damage.

/dev/random will block if there isn't enough entropy
available in the kernel. (MS-Win probably has more :)
/dev/urandom will run a PRNG.

man 4 random

-- Robert

From: santosh on
Herbert Kleebauer wrote:

> santosh wrote:>
>> Herbert Kleebauer wrote:
>
>> > - Does Linux provide a random number? Had to use the time
>> > as a workaround.
>>
>> Yes just read from /dev/random and/or /dev/urandom.
>
> Looks a bit overcomplicated. Does /dev/random exist on any
> Linux?

On all modern versions, yes. A read from /dev/random blocks until
sufficiently entropic bits are available, while /dev/urandom returns
immediately, with possibly inferior randomness. Also
the /proc/sys/kernel/random is linked to /dev/random. See man 4 random.

But what is wrong with the C standard library rand()?

From: rhyde on
On Aug 26, 11:05 am, santosh <santosh....(a)gmail.com> wrote:
..
>
> But what is wrong with the C standard library rand()?

Try posting that to comp.lang.c and be prepared for the flames you'll
get.

The C stdlib rand() function is a well-known poor example of a random
number generator.

Then again, if you don't care about "good randomness", it's probably
fine.
hLater,
Randy Hyde



From: Wolfgang Kern on

Herbert Kleebauer wrote:

> Just converted the Erde graphics demo to Linux. Maybe somebody can try it
> (use the mouse to fly, press any key or button to exit). The source in a
> follow up. You can find the DOS and Windows version here:
> ftp://137.193.64.130/pub/assembler/erde.zip

A funny one KB code example,
it runs at windoze 98se/XPhome and the com-file runs without problems
in full screen mode under the very restricted KESYS DOS-emulator.

__
wolfgang