Slashdot Mirror
LavaRnd: A Open Source Project for Truly Random Numbers
Phil Windley writes "Truly random numbers are crucial to good encryption.
Most people have heard of Silicon Graphic's use of Lava Lamps to generate random numbers. There were some problems: it required special SGI hardware and software along with six lava lamps, and the solution wasn't portable. But the biggest drawback was that SGI patented the idea so it wasn't freely available. Now, some of the scientists behind the SGI random number system have create LavaRnd, an open source project for creating truly random numbers using inexpensive cameras, open source code, and inexpensive hardware. The system uses a saturated CCD in a light-tight can as a chaotic source to produce the seed. Software processes the result into truly random numbers in a variety of formats. The result is a random number that is crytographically sound, ranking at the top of its class in the NIST 800-22 Billion bit test. Its even portable, so the truly paranoid can take it with them when they travel."
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Talk about random...
Anyway, my idea for an open source number generator is to have people on slashdot post the first number that comes to mind in this thread. I don't know if it could get more random.... (patent pending)
NMG
"But, sir, I need this lava lamp for my cubicle! It's required for encrypting our company's secrets. I also need the black light, for, uh... stopping pop-ups."
... "truly random numbers in a variety of formats" ...
Think about that for a second.
That's the combination to my luggage!
That ain't Pi! This is Pi!
3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375 1058209749445923078164062862 08998628034825342117067982148086513282306647093844 6095505822317253594081284811 17450284102701938521105559644622948954930381964428 8109756659334461284756482337 86783165271201909145648566923460348610454326648213 3936072602491412737245870066 06315588174881520920962829254091715364367892590360 0113305305488204665213841469 51941511609433057270365759591953092186117381932611 7931051185480744623799627495 67351885752724891227938183011949129833673362440656 6430860213949463952247371907 02179860943702770539217176293176752384674818467669 4051320005681271452635608277 85771342757789609173637178721468440901224953430146 5495853710507922796892589235 42019956112129021960864034418159813629774771309960 5187072113499999983729780499 51059731732816096318595024459455346908302642522308 2533446850352619311881710100 03137838752886587533208381420617177669147303598253 4904287554687311595628638823 53787593751957781857780532171226806613001927876611 1959092164201989380952572010 65485863278865936153381827968230301952035301852968 9957736225994138912497217752 83479131515574857242454150695950829533116861727855 8890750983817546374649393192 55060400927701671139009848824012858361603563707660 1047101819429555961989467678 37449448255379774726847104047534646208046684259069 4912933136770289891521047521 62056966024058038150193511253382430035587640247496 4732639141992726042699227967 82354781636009341721641219924586315030286182974555 7067498385054945885869269956 90927210797509302955321165344987202755960236480665 4991198818347977535663698074 26542527862551818417574672890977772793800081647060 0161452491921732172147723501 41441973568548161361157352552133475741849468438523 3239073941433345477624168625 18983569485562099219222184272550254256887671790494 6016534668049886272327917860 85784383827967976681454100953883786360950680064225 1252051173929848960841284886 26945604241965285022210661186306744278622039194945 0471237137869609563643719172 87467764657573962413890865832645995813390478027590 0994657640789512694683983525 95709825822620522489407726719478268482601476990902 6401363944374553050682034962 52451749399651431429809190659250937221696461515709 8583874105978859597729754989 30161753928468138268683868942774155991855925245953 9594310499725246808459872736 44695848653836736222626099124608051243884390451244 1365497627807977156914359977 00129616089441694868555848406353422072225828488648 1584560285060168427394522674 67678895252138522549954666727823986456596116354886 2305774564980355936345681743 24112515076069479451096596094025228879710893145669 1368672287489405601015033086 17928680920874760917824938589009714909675985261365 5497818931297848216829989487 22658804857564014270477555132379641451523746234364 5428584447952658678210511413 54735739523113427166102135969536231442952484937187 1101457654035902799344037420 07310578539062198387447808478489683321445713868751 9435064302184531910484810053 70614680674919278191197939952061419663428754440643 7451237181921799983910159195 61814675142691239748940907186494231961567945208095 1465502252316038819301420937 62137855956638937787083039069792077346722182562599 6615014215030680384477345492 02605414665925201497442850732518666002132434088190 7104863317346496514539057962
I won't bore you with the laundry list of other problems that I've encountered while working on various SGI lava lamps, but suffice it to say there have been many, not the least of which is I've never seen a SGI lava lamp that has run faster than its 1960s counterpart,despite the SGI lamp's smaller viscosity. My lamp with runs faster than this SGI lamp at times. From a productivity standpoint, I don't get how people can claim that the SGI LavaRnd is a "superior" machine.
SGI addicts, flame me if you'd like, but I'd rather hear some intelligent reasons why anyone would choose to use a SGI over other faster, cheaper, more stable systems.
A Open Source Project for Truly Random Numbers
cause random n's to be dropped from sentences ?
Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
What truth?
There is no dupe
Its even portable, so the truly paranoid can take it with them when they travel.
that if one were truly paranoid they really travel in this day and age?
I always wondered what was behind some of the moderation decisions I've been seeing!
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
The only numbers that generates is 42,69,503,and 23. I figure in 2 more posts you might get 17 too.
-Looking for a job as a materials chemist or multivariat
For generating random numbers: A quarter in my pocket and a lot of free time.
Lava lamps? Damn hippies.
I just used LavaRnd's Lotto Number Generator with default values and it returned:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
That's the same combination I use on my luggage!
Best read in good ol' Monaco 9 point.
123456? That's the combination of my luggage. I need new luggage!!!
503 ;-)
>so the truly paranoid can take it with them when they travel."
pfftt, like there is anyone on Slashdot that is paranoid.
Cough into your microphone
turn your head first...
Tibbon
tibbon.com
, no matter how improbable that was
Ford, you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.
The only reason we have the rights we have is that people just like us died to gain those rights. -- Cheerio Boy
Pi is exactly 3!
For more information, click here.
the truly paranoid can take it with them when they travel.
Oh, that just what you'd want us to do isn't it???
JET Program: see Japan, meet intere
[Patent Pending]
All you need a is good source of Brownian motion. Say a good hot cup of tea...
I assert that my comment is only my opinion, not that of any employer, past, present or future.
You can just use my algorithm:
int getNextRandom()
{
return 1;
}
If an alogorithm is truly random, it's just as possible by definition that all the numbers produced are the same.
I use porn in a dimly-lit room to produce the seed. To each his own.
You need an SGI with at least two CPUs to take advantage of the superior LavaRnd abilities! Also, dump Netscape for Mozilla!
Your home PC LavaRnd setup may be able to generate a large random number faster than the SGI-based one... but the SGI LavaRnd has the architecture to generate many concurrent random numbers. It also has the ability to easily handle high definition random numbers without chugging!
=)
Why not use the bingo number tumbler for the seed?
---
Lousy rotten karmic retribution.
As far as I know, a run of numbers has never won the lottery, so this is your chance. The run is more likely to come up, since one hasn't already, in all this time.
oh, wait...