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From: buzzard@world.std.com (Sean T Barrett)
Subject: Re: [Inform] Random numbers...
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Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 19:13:57 GMT
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Matthew T. Russotto <russotto@wanda.vf.pond.com> wrote:
>}Except that all "random" computer numbers are pseudo-random.
>
>Not all.  There are people who use actual random processes.  It's
>possible to build a radioactive bit-generator (there are plans on the
>net), though there are other ways to do it.

Probably the most prominent of the unpredictable-physical-process
methods for computers is Lavarand (http://lavarand.sgi.com/) which
uses a lava lamp (technically Lava Lite [tm]).

Whereas the most prominent of the unpredictable-physical-process
methods for humans are coin-flipping and die-rolling--though one
can imagine hyper-dextrous aliens for whom such processes are not
unpredictable and hence are not random.

SeanB
