[ILUG] Random number?

[Paul Kelly]

Sean O'Riordain wrote:
> > afaik there is no way to generate a completely random number with a
> > computer apart from bombarding it with xrays and reading a section of
> > memory
> under more recent kernels >2.2? there is an entropy pool which is taken
> from things like disk activity etc...

More recent kernels also have support for a quantum-mechanics based
hardware random number generator built into Intel's i8xx range of
chipsets. Less destructive than pointing an x-ray generator at your
DIMMs. It isn't used exclusively, but added to the other sources of
entropy that were already in use by /dev/random.

Paul.