Re: rand("state")

[Francesco Potorti`]

>I just did something else to test how this works.  It seems to me that
>use of a single 32-bit integer seed works and is fine for many
>applications.

For all applications, as far as randomness is concerned.

>Use of a single integer doesn't change the quality of the random numbers 
>produced and it is easier to deal with.  

Yes.

>However, the single integer seed limits the number of possible
>pseudorandom starting sequences to 2^32.  Use of the full 624 32-bit
>integers (plus the position integer) allows for all possible 2^19936
>starting sequences.
>
>If you will be producing many random replicates in a simulation study, it 
>is better to use the full 625-integer seed so that the probability of any 
>two replicates being identical is extremely small.
>
>Do I have this right?

Yes.  Also, the whole state is necessary if you want to restart the
generator from a given point.

-- 
Francesco Potortì (ricercatore)        Voice: +39 050 315 3058 (op.2111)
ISTI - Area della ricerca CNR          Fax:   +39 050 313 8091
via G. Moruzzi 1, I-56124 Pisa         Email: address@hidden
Web: http://fly.isti.cnr.it/           Key:   fly.isti.cnr.it/public.key



-------------------------------------------------------------
Octave is freely available under the terms of the GNU GPL.

Octave's home on the web:  http://www.octave.org
How to fund new projects:  http://www.octave.org/funding.html
Subscription information:  http://www.octave.org/archive.html
-------------------------------------------------------------