Today's article is just a fun article - but it is regarding one of my favorite topics...

[KGIII]

I wrote enough in the article, so I'm not going to repeat it here. It'd simply take too much time and text.

For some definition of random, you can generate random numbers in the terminal. No, the results are not true random, but they're random enough for many uses.

(Yes, randomness can be viewed as a spectrum, from predictable to true random. In fact, I find it helps to explain it that way.)

Generate Random Numbers • Linux Tips

Today's article is going to be more or less an intellectual article, as there isn't much need for folks to generate random numbers.

linux-tips.us

Randomness, like infinity, is best not thought about too much. These bits of mental bubblegum have driven folks insane. We all just agree on some arbitrary rules, which is what math really kinda is. 1 + 1 = 2 because it's logical to conclude that and math is just logicism all the way down. Of course, most folks don't make it past arithmetic, but there's so much more to the art.

 

[xlbooyahlx]

I always follow your articles along in my terminal. This was a fun random article!
(see what I did there?) lol

 

[KGIII]

I always follow your articles along in my terminal. This was a fun random article!
(see what I did there?) lol

It is indeed a bit of terminal fun. I'd not use this for anything important, but it's perfectly fine at picking a raffle winner. I am not sure if it'd qualify for things like state lotteries or a gaming commission. Those things usually need certification.

Back in the day, we'd add a RNG chip, for generating random numbers - but they were really pRNG chips, because they generated pseudorandom numbers. Finding, and proving, something to be truly random is a difficult task. I'd not suggest giving it much thought, 'cause that way leads to madness.

During grad school it wasn't uncommon for a classmate to just disappear, never to be seen again on campus. One kid had it so bad that he sat there screaming that he was a failure while he smashed his face off the desk over and over until he was restrained. He actually returned a few months later but I'm pretty sure he was heavily medicated.