Re: [Boost-users] Newbie question: Random numbers.

From: Peter Dimov (pdimov_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-05-19 15:09:18

admin_at_[hidden] wrote:
>> Well, that's why one would typically combine as many entropy sources
>> as possible using a hash function (MD5, SHA, even boost::hash if 32
>> bits are enough.) :-)
>>
>> For more demanding uses there's always CryptGenRandom, or
>> RtlGenRandom on XP+. On VC 8.0 there's also rand_s.
>
> How about Mersenne Twister by math profs at Hiroshima U.:
> http://www.math.sci.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/~m-mat/MT/emt.html

You have to seed the Mersenne Twister with something, which is what this 
portion of the thread is about; a good source of entropy to obtain a seed 
from.