Re: [boost] [xint] Boost.XInt formal review

Subject: Re: [boost] [xint] Boost.XInt formal review
From: Chad Nelson (chad.thecomfychair_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-03-04 01:23:12

On Thu, 3 Mar 2011 10:14:49 -0800
"Dick Bridges" <Dick.Bridges_at_[hidden]> wrote:

> This is not a review, simply a question with regard to the
> default_random_generator constructor.
>
> If I'm reading random.hpp correctly, there is no way for a user to
> provide the seed value - a useful feature for folks like myself that
> use PRNGs to model stochastic processes. We frequently need to repeat
> a particular sequence of 'random numbers'. Any chance the seed could
> be passed as a parameter defaulted to the existing hard coded
> time/clock?

You're reading it correctly, but those classes are only part of the
story -- read on.

> As long as I'm asking, perhaps the ability to provide a
> special-purpose generator of our own design?

You already can. :-) The random.hpp classes are there only for
convenience. In all of the few functions that use a random generator,
you can substitute any Boost.Random generator class, or any other class
that has a similar interface. If you've got specialized
random-number-generating hardware, the code will happily work with it,
with nothing extra but a simple interface class.

> I'd also like to express my appreciation for the effort you've
> obviously expended on this project.
>
> Thank you.

And thank you as well, the appreciation is greatly appreciated.
-- 
Chad Nelson
Oak Circle Software, Inc.
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