Re: How random is random number?
Re: How random is random number?
- Subject: Re: How random is random number?
- From: Doug McNutt <email@hidden>
- Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 20:41:07 -0600
At 21:32 -0400 7/8/02, Stephen Swift wrote:
>
Also, while on the subject of numbers I have a question concerning integers
>
larger than 536870909. AS doesn't seem to convert the number to an exponent
>
until 536870912. And I received some on results when working up there:
>
536870909 + 3 --> -536870912
>
536870909 + 4 --> -536870911
>
536870909 + 5 --> -536870910
536870912 = 2^29
Your results are what would occur in a computer that has a 30 bit word with the most significant bit being used for a sign. Overflowing 2^29 as a signed integer will set the sign bit making the number appear to be negative.
But.
Apple has never made a 30 bit machine. Perhaps it's a manifestation of Gamow's One, Two, Three, Infinity. It's also possible that the upper bits of a 32 bit word are being used as flags the way early 68020's used the upper byte of a pointer to flag the status of handle based memory. Remember "32 bit clean"?
--
Applescript syntax is like English spelling:
Roughly, but not thoroughly, thought through.
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