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(libc.info)Pseudo-Random Numbers

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Pseudo-Random Numbers
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   This section describes the GNU facilities for generating a series of
pseudo-random numbers.  The numbers generated are not truly random;
typically, they form a sequence that repeats periodically, with a period
so large that you can ignore it for ordinary purposes.  The random
number generator works by remembering a "seed" value which it uses to
compute the next random number and also to compute a new seed.

   Although the generated numbers look unpredictable within one run of a
program, the sequence of numbers is _exactly the same_ from one run to
the next.  This is because the initial seed is always the same.  This
is convenient when you are debugging a program, but it is unhelpful if
you want the program to behave unpredictably.  If you want a different
pseudo-random series each time your program runs, you must specify a
different seed each time.  For ordinary purposes, basing the seed on the
current time works well.

   You can obtain repeatable sequences of numbers on a particular
machine type by specifying the same initial seed value for the random
number generator.  There is no standard meaning for a particular seed
value; the same seed, used in different C libraries or on different CPU
types, will give you different random numbers.

   The GNU library supports the standard ISO C random number functions
plus two other sets derived from BSD and SVID.  The BSD and ISO C
functions provide identical, somewhat limited functionality.  If only a
small number of random bits are required, we recommend you use the
ISO C interface, `rand' and `srand'.  The SVID functions provide a more
flexible interface, which allows better random number generator
algorithms, provides more random bits (up to 48) per call, and can
provide random floating-point numbers.  These functions are required by
the XPG standard and therefore will be present in all modern Unix
systems.

ISO Random

`rand' and friends.

BSD Random

`random' and friends.

SVID Random

`drand48' and friends.