> Interesting.... The SunOS output exactly matches random(3) > behavior from 4.3BSD! In fact random() remained the same for > 4.3BSD-Reno, -Tahoe, 4.4BSD-Alpha and Net2. > > 4.2BSD random() behavior is different from all of the above. > There was real bug-fix between 4.2BSD and 4.3BSD. > > I don't know when the FreeBSD/Redhat change was made or if it > broke any statistical properties.
FYI: The FreeBSD change was made in -r1.4 of random.c by Andrey in Oct 1996. The previous version of random.c behaves exactly the same as the one in 4.3BSD, SunOS and AIX. I am sorry I was too busy with other things then and missed this change. Andrey refers to an OCT 1988 CACM paper by Park & Miller "Random number generators: good ones are hard to find" as a justification for this change. Also FYI: NetBSD random(3) matches the 4.3BSD random(). Haven't checked OpenBSD. To Unsubscribe: send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with "unsubscribe freebsd-current" in the body of the message
