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Joe is correct about needing a random seed number. A common technique is
to use a date/time value for the seed, assuming that it will always be
different.
Or, in keeping with the subject of investing, you might use the current
value of an index. Of course, this will only change while the market is
trading and will still be within a certain range at any time.
Other seeds have problems. If you used the known Clinton lies to date, it
will always be increasing rather than random, but it may be exponential
(forgive me, I couldn't resist).
Gary Randall -- Brunswick, Maine
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Random Number Generation
Author: metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx at Internet
Date: 11/4/98 11:52 AM
Every computer random number system that I've seen use alogrithms that require
a "seed number" to generate the number set. It's a Catch-22 situation. A
random seed number is needed to generate a random set of numbers but if you
could generate a random seed number you wouldn't need the algorithm to
generate the random number set. A rather amusing situation came up a number of
years ago at the place I worked. The company instituted a "random" drug test
program. Those that were chosen to be tested (mostly union employees) were
selected from the payroll list using a "random" number computer generated
system. The same names kept coming up and the union charged the company with
harassment of these individuals. I was in the maintenance department at the
time but mentioned to the head of personnel that it appeared that the computer
department was not changing the "seed number" in their program. He said that
he would look into it. He later told me that that was not the case but the
problem suddenly corrected itself and different people were selected for
testing. I'm sure it had nothing to do with it but when the head of the
computer department retired I was asked to take his job. I guess my masters
degree in applied mathematics paid off in more than just my investment
analysis.
Good investing.
Joe Nemecek
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