Talk:Random number generation

Randomness is an observed entity

The article starts out with: "A random number generator (RNG) is a computational or physical device designed to generate a sequence of numbers or symbols that lack any pattern, i.e. appear random." But it should be the other way around: If an Observer find that a sequence lack any pattern, it appears random to him. Different observers may rate the same sequence differently. The randomness is not in the sequence.

Bo Domstedt http://www.trng98.se

Random number generation input through analogue computer filtering as an attractor which shapes the range of the output*

write about it please

Should /dev/random discussion really be in here?

Ways of accessing random numbers in various operating systems is already the subject of entirely separate articles: /dev/random and CryptGenRandom, etc. Throwing in some talk about one particular way to get them in some Unix-like operating systems seems out of place in this article. I think we should remove the textual reference to them from this article and just have a "See also" link at the top. Mr. Shoeless (talk) 15:14, 3 September 2023 (UTC)

• Well, I took initiative and did it. I left in other sentences that talk about default implementations in various programming languages even though those sentences could be dated over time as programming language standard libraries often change. --Mr. Shoeless (talk) 15:44, 3 September 2023 (UTC)

True vs. pseudo-random numbers

The wording in this section (Random number generation#True vs. pseudo-random numbers) is misleading. It mixes together the theoretical underpinnings: true random numbers / pseudo random numbers and practical implementations. In the theoretical sense, the true- and pseudo-random numbers are two different beasts with their own benefits and drawbacks:

1. True random numbers are secure in cryptographic sense against future disclosures (cf. Forward secrecy)
2. The very predictability of the pseudorandom numbers is desirable for most applications (except cryptography and gaming machines, AFAIK).

In practical designs the true random generator actually includes a pseudorandom one. See, for example, NIST SP 800-90A, so there is no "vs.". Also, in the physical world, any entropy source is very fragile (for the simple reason that most of its non-catastrophic failures are extremely hard - or even impossible - to detect). Dimawik (talk) 22:04, 2 March 2024 (UTC)