Re: Random number generator without duplicates?
Re: Random number generator without duplicates?
- Subject: Re: Random number generator without duplicates?
- From: Hudson Barton <email@hidden>
- Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2001 11:31:04 -0400
SNIP ALL THAT RANDOM STUFF!
The AppleScript user who asked for a suggestion as to how to generate a
list of 6 random numbers probably doesn't care about any of this.
A simple readable script that produces a list of 6 numbers that are not
repeated and fall between 1 and 56, and hopefully clarifies the
process in such a way as to teach the method of it's logic, would
have benefited him and others on this list much more that this
digresive discussion of
mathematical theory.
Briggs' comments weren't digressive at all. Programmers, especially
young ones, all think that their principal task is to figure out HOW
to do stuff, when in fact it is to figure out WHAT to do. With tools
(like applescript) that enable one to produce "quick & dirty"
solutions, this happens all the time. Maybe a few people on this
list are content to produce bad software, but I for one want to at
least know the difference, and then when I choose, I will understand
the consequences. There are a lot of simple, cool, innovative,
elegant, and practical solutions that come from the scripting
community, but there's also a lot of expedient junk.
In this case, there is a HUGE difference between the false concept
and the real concept of "random". Indeed, it's hard enough to
produce random numbers even when you understand the concept. A
"script that produces a list of 6 numbers that are not repeated and
fall between 1 and 56" may well be a worthwhile objective, but it has
nothing to do with randomization. Believe otherwise at your peril.
H.