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(elisp)Random Numbers

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Random Numbers
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   A deterministic computer program cannot generate true random numbers.
For most purposes, "pseudo-random numbers" suffice.  A series of
pseudo-random numbers is generated in a deterministic fashion.  The
numbers are not truly random, but they have certain properties that
mimic a random series.  For example, all possible values occur equally
often in a pseudo-random series.

   In Emacs, pseudo-random numbers are generated from a "seed" number.
Starting from any given seed, the `random' function always generates
the same sequence of numbers.  Emacs always starts with the same seed
value, so the sequence of values of `random' is actually the same in
each Emacs run!  For example, in one operating system, the first call
to `(random)' after you start Emacs always returns -1457731, and the
second one always returns -7692030.  This repeatability is helpful for
debugging.

   If you want random numbers that don't always come out the same,
execute `(random t)'.  This chooses a new seed based on the current
time of day and on Emacs's process ID number.

 - Function: random &optional limit
     This function returns a pseudo-random integer.  Repeated calls
     return a series of pseudo-random integers.

     If LIMIT is a positive integer, the value is chosen to be
     nonnegative and less than LIMIT.

     If LIMIT is `t', it means to choose a new seed based on the
     current time of day and on Emacs's process ID number.

     On some machines, any integer representable in Lisp may be the
     result of `random'.  On other machines, the result can never be
     larger than a certain maximum or less than a certain (negative)
     minimum.