goss@SNOW-WHITE.MERIT-TECH.COM (Mike Goss) (06/27/89)
In regard to the discussion on random numbers, it is normally not wise to trust any random number generator that comes with an operating system or C compiler. These random number generators usually don't generate very good random numbers. If you really need good random numbers (and want to know what constitutes "good" random numbers), I recommend the following sources: Press, Flannery, Teukolsky, and Vetterling, "Numerical Recipes in C." An excellent source of algorithms not only for random numbers, but a wide variety of other computations. C source code is included for all algorithms. The companion volume "Numerical Recipes" has the same algorithms in (yecch) FORTRAN. Knuth, "Seminumerical Algorithms." One of the best discussions of random numbers, and various statistical tests for randomness. Unfortunately, the (rare) source code is given is in MIX, which has the dubious distinction of being an assembly language for a non-existent computer. Mike Goss Merit Technology Inc.