Activate Random Number Storage

[1w0rld]

I have searched the help file and this forum for information regarding

Options/Utilities/Activate Random Number Storage

but have not found any information regarding this option.

Please explain how to use this option and what it does ?

Thanks

[Programmer]

Hi 1World,

You are right that it is not in the help file, the help file is really a bit out of date now.

The quickest answer is probably to refer you to this post:

http://www.orphalese.willowsheart.co.uk ... ndom#p4381

and for a rather longer answer to this one:

http://www.orphalese.willowsheart.co.uk ... +Algorithm

Cheers,
Richard

[1w0rld]

Thanks for the explanation. I am also interested in improving the efficiency of the Shuffle alogrithm. Please comment on the following :

In your Fri 12 oct, 2007 1:18 pm reply to Edward, you stated :

The eventual seed is always going to be a number between - 2,147,483,648 and + 2,147,483,648. Obviously that doesn't cover every possible deck so the user might want to do two or three or more shuffles if they want to get closer to that assurance. As we have already said, the number of possible outcomes increases geometrically the more times you shuffle.

Does this mean I will have to press <control-alt-r> 6 times in simulate a 6 interleave shuffle, ergo 13 times for a 13 interleave shuffle ?

1w0rld

[Programmer]

Not if you use the Ctrl-Alt-R method, because that is always a completely new random deck, not based on shuffling an old one.

If you use the default Ctrl-S method to shuffle the deck you may get a better shuffle by repeating the process, but I am really not sure.

The best I can suggest is that you read that thread and the articles we looked at and draw your own conclusion. This is not a cop out, I am really not sure. There were various moments in that long exchange with Edward where I thought I had it clear, but then the next day I would think I had it clear in a quite different way!

You might end up thinking that it doesn't really make any difference how many times you press Ctrl-S. You don't actually get a more randomized deck, just a more processed one. This was the conclusion I eventually came to, that computers can't ever generate true random numbers, and you have to involve something unpredictable, such as the slight vibrations in the mouse as the user moves it around on the desk, which is what I eventually used for the RNG.

However I still think that most casual users of the program will be happy with the "psuedo random" shuffle provided by default by the program, which is certainly completely unpredictable by any human and does mix up all the cards very thoroughly.

Richard

[Programmer]

Just as an afterthought, here is a nice way to illustrate how the RNG works:

Having enabled it on the utilities tab of the Options form, press Ctrl+Shift+R six times in successsion without moving the mouse. You will see the deck recreated five times, each time with a new random deck. On the sixth occasion though you will see the "recharge" form appear, and then as you move the mouse around you will see the "batteries" load up again. This is the best demonstration I can think of for how that feature actually works in practice.

Richard