Thursday 25 March 2004 — This is close to 21 years old. Be careful.
Usually when a software person talks about random numbers, they mean ones generated by a software algorithm, which means they are really talking about pseudo-random numbers. There are better (but less plentiful) sources, which are based on physical processes that produce truly random numbers. Quantum physics is behind randomnumber.info, which generates numbers using a single-photon optics rig. Another is HotBits, which relies on radioactive decay. I’m not sure how you’d put these to use in any practical way, but it’s somehow comforting and empowering to know that in distant corners of the world, physics has been harnessed to give me truly random numbers at my fingertips.
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He replied that in lots of cases you don't want truly random generators. You want good deterministic ones, so that you can generate the same "random" sequence in two places.
I think there's also some generators that collect entropy from the line in of the computers sound board. Even if there's nothing plugged in, the white noise from interference is random and can be used.
As for what you would use it for, it looks like it gets a lot of use for contests, scientific research, and seeding for a Backgammon server. Not all of those applications actually need truly random numbers, but some definitely do.
I know the SGI generator was called lavarand, but I don't think it exists anymore.
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