Message-Id: <199811041434.IAA09454@kendall.>
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 1998 08:34:31 -0600 (CST)
From: Jeff Williams <jeffw AT darwin DOT sfbr DOT org>
Subject: Random Numbers
To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Cc: eliz AT is DOT elta DOT co DOT il, jeffw AT darwin DOT sfbr DOT org
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Reply-To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com

Questions about random numbers appear rather frequently on this mailing
list, so....

The following (short) article is required reading for anyone interested
in random number generation.  Park and Miller give an engrossing
historical review of some of the RN generators (good and bad) that have
been (and continue to be) circulated, and then discuss how to make a
*good* RN generator.  The mathematical exposition is kept to a minimum,
and there are useful programming examples.  Even if you don't need to
roll your own RN generator, this article can teach you a lot about RN/Gs
and how to use them properly.

Stephen K. Park and Keith W. Miller. ``Random number generators: good ones
are hard to find.''  Communications of the ACM 1988;31(10):1192--1201.

Eli, perhaps a reference to this article would be worth including in
the FAQ?

HTH someone,

jeff williams