A note about random number generation. My understanding.....
Back in the day, over 15 or 20 years ago most 'random' numbers were software algorithms that were not that random. If you knew the algorithm, seeding and such you could predict the next 'random' number.
People that really needed random numbers built external circuits that essentially measured the kTb voltage across a resistor. Basically naturally occurring resistor noise.
Then about 15 years ago Intel basically embedded this circuit into the Pentium processor. Starting with a particular revision processor, you could read a register in the processor that would give you a random number, that was based on thermal noise, not a mathematical pseudorandom generator.
So now I'm curious. Does anyone know how to get to this function from Window or linux ?
edit: more on the topic is here
http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...mber_generator