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Date: Sat, 24 Apr 2010 01:25:26 +0200
From: Sjouke Burry <burrynulnulfour@ppllaanneett.nnll>
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Subject: Re: Why is Ada considered  "too specialized" for scientific use
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Date: 2010-04-24T01:25:26+02:00
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Peter Flass wrote:
> J. Clarke wrote:
>>> 4. Random number generation.
>> How were random numbers generated before computers? Did they not have 
>> viable algorithms for the purpose?
> 
> I think the "Chem Rubber Bible" has a table of random numbers you can 
> use; just pick a spot to start.  OTOH, that begs the question of how 
> they were generated in the first place.  I have visions of a roomful of 
> people flipping coins.

Just take any bad quality resistor, zenerdiode, or a number
of other electronic components, amplify the noise, and use it
with a bit of hardware to produce an endless stream of random numbers.
No computers needed.