Randomness
From Maze
(Difference between revisions)
(→V. The C64 and RND) | (→V. The C64 and RND) | ||
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===V. The C64 and RND=== | ===V. The C64 and RND=== | ||
| − | With so many variables in the real world like late buses, misdialed numbers, and slippery fingers dropping grilled cheese sandwiches into french fry oil (the origin of the Monte Cristo sandwich!), one of random's opposites, order, becomes a valued commodity. Clocks, calendars, safety standards, and style guides suffuse our culture to protect us. | + | In this section we finally discuss the RND function in the context of the C64. |
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| + | With so many variables in the real world like late buses, misdialed numbers, and slippery fingers dropping grilled cheese sandwiches into french fry oil (the legendary origin of the Monte Cristo sandwich!), one of randomness's opposites, order, becomes a valued commodity. Clocks, calendars, safety standards, and style guides suffuse our culture to protect us. | ||
Yet, in a computer, it is quite the opposite. Computer chips differ greatly from the outer world in their orderliness. Unlike our beaches or the bumpy landmasses with weather on which we build our houses, the world inside chips is meticulously fabricated, symmetrical, isolated and predictable. In fact, its basis is one massive crystal grown from purified silicon. It is so perfect that it is difficult to create unanticipated behavior. | Yet, in a computer, it is quite the opposite. Computer chips differ greatly from the outer world in their orderliness. Unlike our beaches or the bumpy landmasses with weather on which we build our houses, the world inside chips is meticulously fabricated, symmetrical, isolated and predictable. In fact, its basis is one massive crystal grown from purified silicon. It is so perfect that it is difficult to create unanticipated behavior. | ||
| − | The internal orderliness is at least true for the chip (MOS6510) running the Commodore 64’s BASIC interpreter, as well as the chip running the original BASIC interpreter at Dartmouth. As randomness transitioned from the sublime concept it once possessed to the practical application of security, sections of chips were designed to encourage random amounts heat energy to influence their silicon junctions to hasten the creation of unpredictable data. This is part of the essence of encryption - the production of obscurata. Patterns in these data are way behind the abilities of humans to predict in our heads, and are even difficult for many computers to suss out. | + | As randomness in the home computer market transitioned from being a mere source of artificial surprise into practical security applications, computer chips were designed with modules designed to encourage random amounts of heat energy to influence their silicon junctions to hasten the creation of unpredictable data. This is part of the essence of encryption - the production of obscurata. |
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| + | But normally, digital orderliness is the rule. It is at least true for the chip (MOS6510) running the Commodore 64’s BASIC interpreter, as well as the chip running the original BASIC interpreter at Dartmouth. | ||
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* Prg in User guide demo of biasing randomness | * Prg in User guide demo of biasing randomness | ||
| − | intrestingly enough, they thought this would be a good idea to teach. | + | intrestingly enough, they thought this would be a good idea to teach in the C64 User Guide. |
* Use to explain to reader how randomness works, what it's good for | * Use to explain to reader how randomness works, what it's good for | ||
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| − | In this section we finally discuss the RND function in the context of the C64. | + | |
* How the number is actually generated, | * How the number is actually generated, | ||
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* reliability of the randomness, | * reliability of the randomness, | ||
The linear congruential generator (LCG) was proposed by Lehmer in 1949. | The linear congruential generator (LCG) was proposed by Lehmer in 1949. | ||
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| + | Patterns in these data are way behind the abilities of humans to predict in our heads, and are even difficult for many computers to suss out. | ||
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* Point Out that psuedo randomness is not bad or inferior | * Point Out that psuedo randomness is not bad or inferior | ||
