seed

Calc Software Package for Number Calc

NAME
    seed - return a value that may be used to seed a pseudo-random generator

SYNOPSIS
    seed()

TYPES
    return	integer

DESCRIPTION
    Generate a pseudo-random seed based on a collection of system and process
    information.  The seed() builtin function returns a value:

		0 <= seed < 2^64

    IMPORTANT WARNING:

	It should be pointed out that the information collected by seed
	is almost certainly non-chaotic.  This function is likely not
	suitable for applications (such as cryptographic applications)
	where the unpredictability of seeds is critical.  For such critical
	applications, LavaRnd should be used.	See the URL:

		http://www.LavaRnd.org/

	for information about seeding a pseudo-random number generator
	(such as rand() or random()) with the cryptographic hash of the
	digitization of chaotic system.

    Given the above warning, this builtin function produces a seed that is
    suitable for most applications that desire a different pseudo-random
    sequence each time they are run.

    The return value of this builtin function should NOT be considered
    a random or pseudo-random value.  The return value should be used
    as an argument to a seed function such as srand() or srandom().

EXAMPLE
    ; print srand(seed())
    RAND state

    ; print srandom(seed())
    RAND state

LIMITS
    none

LINK LIBRARY
    NUMBER *pseudo_seed(void)

SEE ALSO
    seed, srand, randbit, isrand, rand, random, srandom, israndom

## Copyright (C) 1999  Landon Curt Noll
##
## Calc is open software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
## the terms of the version 2.1 of the GNU Lesser General Public License
## as published by the Free Software Foundation.
##
## Calc is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
## ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
## or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.	 See the GNU Lesser General
## Public License for more details.
##
## A copy of version 2.1 of the GNU Lesser General Public License is
## distributed with calc under the filename COPYING-LGPL.  You should have
## received a copy with calc; if not, write to Free Software Foundation, Inc.
## 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
##
## @(#) $Revision: 29.4 $
## @(#) $Id: seed,v 29.4 2006/05/07 07:25:46 chongo Exp $
## @(#) $Source: /usr/local/src/cmd/calc/help/RCS/seed,v $
##
## Under source code control:	1999/10/03 10:04:29
## File existed as early as:	1999
##
## chongo <was here> /\oo/\	http://www.isthe.com/chongo/
## Share and enjoy!  :-)	http://www.isthe.com/chongo/tech/comp/calc/