Random - random number generator

[guinness]

Tested: Portable

Another random-number-file generator. Allows numerous different algorithms to be used, an a couple of distributions. Also allows some analysis and visualisation of the resultant file.
Latest version adds several new random number routines, and a more in depth analysis of the random files generated.

Dowload: http://www.elentaris.co.uk/software/index.html

[webfork]

I don't think the site has a random number generator, so I was very interested and this program seems to have a wide array of random generation tools and algorithms that could produce some very random numbers, although I'm not clear what you'd use this for. If you could say select a number between 1 and 100 or something similar, you could put this to use in raffle system or table-top gaming.

[ashghost]

Webfork and guinness,

Did you get it to generate a file with random numbers? I can't a list of random numbers, only files with random content: a long string of unicode characters. I tried using multiple algorithms, single algorithms, single distributions, but never got a set of random numbers. There's no place to specify a range, and you can't specify a number of iterations, just a file size. You can view a plot of the "byte values", and there's a list of numbers on the left pane of the "analysis" window, but there's no way to export that list.

Am I missing something?

[guinness]

It worked in Windows XP.

[ashghost]

It worked in Windows XP.

I wondered if my 64-bit Windows 7 was a factor. I just tried it on XPsp3 at work, and I get the same (incomprehensible) result.

[JohnW]

The discussion here got me interested and I was very surprised at how few random number generators seem to be available. Having said that I guess I am Baas will discover a gem or two.

The only one I came across was RandGen from

Code: Select all

http://www.lohninger.com/randgen.html

RandGen returns random numbers of a predefined distribution.
The user may define the shape of the probability distribution as well as the range of the random numbers. It's probably portable but I didn't really check

I tried the Elentaris Random product; didn't seem to make any sense to me although I could generate lists of numbers! (Vista btw)

If I read him write, I side with webfork on the value of these apps. They might make sense for gaming but otherwise pointless.

[guinness]

They might make sense for gaming but otherwise pointless.

That being said it's Portable!

[webfork]

I can't a list of random numbers, only files with random content

Really this appears to be a program that relies on other programs. The only one here on the site that comes to mind is TrueCrypt to create a file key and increase your security.

The program could create "uncrackable" one-time pad encryption ciphers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-time_pad) and other crypto programs use a "random seed" or a good selection of very random information, to help encrypted data avoid patterns that can break it. In the latter case, its usually something integrated into the software and we don't usually see it, save for the "move your mouse around for entropy" in some security programs, but I'm guessing what this program brings to the table is a hands-on variety of random-number generating methods. The program author isn't clear about that.

[webfork]

They might make sense for gaming but otherwise pointless.

Yeah, and there are a few other options here on the site for simulated dice rolls.

http://www.portablefreeware.com/forums/ ... f=4&t=3582
http://www.portablefreeware.com/forums/ ... f=1&t=2466
http://www.portablefreeware.com/forums/ ... f=4&t=7639

Only one has been added to the database:

RPGui
http://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?id=1397

[ashghost]

They might make sense for gaming but otherwise pointless.

Random numbers are useful in statistics, but those who would find them useful are more likely to rely on a full statistical software package, and wouldn't be interested in these little programs.

There are other uses in science. I do ecological research, and I've used lists of random numbers to place sampling plots within a site, to decide what order to visit sites, or for other decisions where a random selection is important. I really have no need for this program (I have several options for the couple of times per year that the need arises), I'm just addicted to little portable programs.

JohnW's suggestion (RandGen) really is more of a distribution generator. It can't generate distribution-free sets of random numbers.

...I was very surprised at how few random number generators seem to be available.

There are two statistics programs in the database. PAST http://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?id=1207 doesn't seem to be capable of random number generation. R http://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?id=1213 can do everything, but is a sizable download with a huge learning curve.

Funnily enough, I found 4 or 5 apps on the Android Market to generate sets of random numbers. None of them publishes the algorithms used, though.

[JohnW]

Further to ashghost's comments, I should have added that I can of course understand the use of random number generators in some contexts especially scientific.

Indeed, many many years ago I used them in OR simulation programs quite extensively.

But I used routines which could be called from a Fortran program and which were more reliable than the routines which were intrinsic in some Fortrans. If I recall correctly I used pseudo-random during the debugging stage and then changed to 'true' rng routine at the end. Anyway - a long time ago!

[webfork]

Old thread update:

Site moved to:
http://elentaris.co.uk/other-software/

Archive.org page for the old site:
https://web.archive.org/web/20160617181 ... p/freeware