Hi Anton, Anton Lindqvist wrote on Sun, Feb 19, 2017 at 08:29:31AM +0100:
> Usage of rand was replaced with arc4random (var.c, r1.17) and later > documented (ksh.1, r1.70). The change was later on reverted (var.c, > r1.39) back to using rand and srand_deterministic. The patch below > removes the explicit mention of arc4random and documents the current > behavior. I think both the current text and your patch are wrong. The current text says that srand(3) is used. That, indeed, is not true, so thanks for the heads-up. Your patch deletes a sentence that is actually true: "By default, arc4random(3) is used to produce values." That is true because rand(3) uses arc4random(3) by default. I think we should keep that information. It tells people that on OpenBSD, ksh(1) RANDOM is of decent quality by default. So, here is my suggestion. I don't think we need to say that ksh(1) calls arc4random(3) indirectly via rand(3). From the perspective of ksh(1) users, that's an implementation detail. OK? Ingo Index: ksh.1 =================================================================== RCS file: /cvs/src/bin/ksh/ksh.1,v retrieving revision 1.186 diff -u -r1.186 ksh.1 --- ksh.1 14 Nov 2016 06:59:42 -0000 1.186 +++ ksh.1 19 Feb 2017 17:20:31 -0000 @@ -1704,12 +1704,10 @@ If the variable .Ev RANDOM is assigned a value, the value is used as the seed to -.Xr srand 3 +.Xr srand_deterministic 3 and subsequent references of .Ev RANDOM -will use -.Xr rand 3 -to produce values, resulting in a predictable sequence. +produce a predictable sequence. .It Ev REPLY Default parameter for the .Ic read
