That a computer can generate a random number.



Should I argue that she's probably never even seen a computer capable of generating a truely random number?

1/27/2006 11:21:31 AM

boohonkity!

1/27/2006 11:23:20 AM

[yes]

1/27/2006 11:37:32 AM

yes

1/27/2006 11:41:30 AM

double yes

1/27/2006 11:41:55 AM

absolutely yes

1/27/2006 11:51:03 AM

odd. my brother and i just had a conversation about this last night.

1/27/2006 11:56:17 AM

ok well i wish all the higher up techies would get off their high ass pedistal and explain why we wouldnt have been able to see a computer with a truely random number

1/27/2006 11:58:48 AM

it would be exceedingly difficult to explain the definition of the word "random" to someone who would ask that question.

[Edited on January 27, 2006 at 12:02 PM. Reason : *]

1/27/2006 12:02:09 PM

just make sure to throw in the fish movement in an aquarium example

1/27/2006 12:06:04 PM

^^^ This is probably way over your head, but read this:

http://www.random.org/essay.html

Then again, I could roll a bowling ball and it would fly way over your head.

1/27/2006 12:07:23 PM

can you think of a better way to minimize bias?

1/27/2006 12:13:01 PM

god that bobbydigital dude comes off as such a douche on tww

[Edited on January 27, 2006 at 12:15 PM. Reason : thanks for the article though, i UNDERSTOOD it]

[Edited on January 27, 2006 at 12:15 PM. Reason : i bet i'd do better at sammys trivia than you would too]

[Edited on January 27, 2006 at 12:16 PM. Reason : and if i were a teacher and you argued that i'd either fail you or call you a faggot]

1/27/2006 12:14:17 PM

OP, the definition of random is not what you think it is. Computers can generate random enough numbers for pretty much all but the most academic purposes.

Quote :

" ran·dom Audio pronunciation of "random" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (rndm) adj. 1. Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective: random movements. See Synonyms at chance. 2. Mathematics & Statistics. Of or relating to a type of circumstance or event that is described by a probability distribution. 3. Of or relating to an event in which all outcomes are equally likely, as in the testing of a blood sample for the presence of a substance. "

The numbers generated by a computer will conform to probability distributions, and under most circumstances are devoid of bias and intent. They are therefore appropriately random for use in statistics and mathmatics.

Sure the numbers are generated from a sort of seed and aren't entirely without some sort of pattern, and could conceptually be predicted. Coin tosses, a classic example of a random event, could also be predicted with enough knowledge about the initial state and energy to be put into the flip (and no, we're not getting anywhere near where uncertainty principle becomes an issue). The event is still considered random though.

[Edited on January 27, 2006 at 12:21 PM. Reason : ]

1/27/2006 12:14:32 PM

but it's not really random!!!!!!omgwtfboxxorslolshazam1

1/27/2006 12:17:12 PM

Quote :

"Should I argue that she's probably never even seen a computer capable of generating a truely random number? "

That would be a statement if anything, not an argument. Generally speaking, a computer can/could be made to generate random numbers.

1/27/2006 12:22:56 PM

so now we know who all the guys are who argued with their teachers about stupid points

DON'T BE THAT GUY

1/27/2006 1:01:50 PM

^dont be that guy is exactly right

dont be that fucking guy

1/27/2006 1:03:04 PM

Just look at it this way, that is one less guy you are competing with for vagina.

1/27/2006 1:20:25 PM

Quote :

"DON'T BE THAT GUY"

1/27/2006 1:24:09 PM

I'm gonna get a "DONT BE THAT GUY" t-shirt and wear it on the first day of classes from now on

1/27/2006 3:59:41 PM

Dont be this guy http://www.thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=348077

Quote :

"HAHA, i remember this guy. i just dropped this section yesterday. dude argued with the prof one day about how random number generator programs on a computer aren't truely "random""

[Edited on January 27, 2006 at 4:08 PM. Reason : :]

1/27/2006 4:07:03 PM

What if a random number generator was seeded by the noise from a mic in? Or the noise in a web cam?

Depending on how our brains work... it could be seeded by mouse movements to create a random number.

What if I started selling rolls of random numbers that were given to me by god, and people would pull them out sequentially. Those won't truly be random, but they would work exactly like a random number. This is similar to how some computer random generators work.

1/27/2006 4:30:26 PM

why are csc kids so fucking lame and stupid. i can not fathom.

1/27/2006 9:05:44 PM

this is why i left csc for my grad degree

1/27/2006 9:16:17 PM

^^ most true thing ever said on the tww, and i'm in CSC

1/27/2006 10:49:09 PM

i got pwnt by a computer's random number generator when i was creating random training weights for my fuzzy-based STATCOM neurocontroller. It completely skewed my results

1/27/2006 11:09:58 PM

don't be that guy, I've seen it several times in several different classes and people gotta understand these doctors are smarter than you and know that its not generating a truly random number but its just easier to gloss over that shit so you can get the actual concept their trying to teach you

1/28/2006 2:25:28 AM

They're smart enough to realize that it's not worth spending class time on some pedantic ass shit.

Don't be that guy.

1/28/2006 2:28:25 AM

Quote :

"its just easier to gloss over that shit so you can get the actual concept their trying to teach you"

!!~~!!! ~~!??!//1!!

HERESY

don't you know that the best learning experience comes from interminable discussion about tangential minutia?? GET WITH THE PROGRAM! THE CSC PROGRAM!! (its in java, btw)

1/28/2006 9:06:18 AM

Quote :

" Charybdisjim"

One sane person in a thread is more than you could hope for.

1/28/2006 11:05:47 AM