[boost] Random

From: Ian Whittley (imw_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-06-24 06:52:46

Hi,

A quick question on random number generators. How safe is it to use the 
value returned by one of the uniform random number generators as a string 
of bits that can then be masked in order to provide a set of values rather 
than just the one? I ask as it would allow for a simple way of speeding up 
the generation of random numbers as provided by uniform_smallint (and 
probably a few others). Even if it is unsafe in any strong sense it might 
still be useful for many applications.

Ian Whittley
Senior Research Associate
University of East Anglia