[ntp:questions] Public remote RNG server service on the net

David Woolley david at ex.djwhome.demon.co.uk.invalid
Fri Jul 4 21:10:11 UTC 2008


Richard B. Gilbert wrote:

> 
> Random number generators typically generate values between 0 and 1.0. 
> You would have to multiply the values by 255 to get the range you want. 

The sort of random number generator he is talking about, like reading 
/dev/random on Linux, is a cryptographic one and does generate random 
bit patterns that are measured in bytes.

>  I never heard of a server offering such a service; typically it is a 
> function called "rand", "rnd" or something similar that you incorporate 

That sort of function is generally pseudo random, although it might be 
seeded from a more random source.  It's not suitable for games, as 
suggested in the question, or security.

Incidentally the original was posted with a set of followup newsgroups 
that didn't include comp.protocols.time.ntp, so it is even possible that 
the questioner is not seeing these replies.




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