Cryptography. The required robustness of a random generator is highly sensitive to the intended application;
- Generating a "thought for the day" for your blog? Required randomness = low. - Response testing a missile system? Required randomness = medium - Stealing above test results, encrypting them and transmitting them to Al Quaeda in a form that you hope the NSA won't understand? Required randomness = high Robert On 7/21/07, Peter Lissaman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Why is it important (except intellectually) to have "true" randomness??? I very well remember the early, good old, bad old, days of Aerospace, in the 50's, when we were really doing practical earthshattering things -- like going to the moon -- sans computers!! The RAND corporation, for whom I consulted, published a typed book (size of a Manhattan telephone directory) of "random" numbers for engineering application. Much entertainment was occasioned when, about three months later, they distributed a list of "typos" to their original list of random numbers. Today I use homemade random numbers alla time for real problems, specifically the actual response of real flight vehicles in real atmospheric turbulence. Flight tests support analysis, in the sense that what we predict is not obviously incorrect. We have never found it necessary to utilize any more "perfectly random" "random" sequences! Peter Lissaman, Da Vinci Ventures Expertise is not knowing everything, but knowing what to look for. 1454 Miracerros Loop South, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505 TEL: (505) 983-7728 FAX: (505) 983-1694 ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
