From: rustman@netcom.com (Rusty H. Hodge)
Date: Sat, 30 Apr 94 00:45:19 PDT
To: Phil Karn <karn@qualcomm.com>
Subject: Re: Random #'s via serial port dongle?
Message-ID: <199404300746.AAA23011@netcom.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At  9:03 PM 4/29/94 -0700, Phil Karn wrote:
>I am looking at various ways of generating good random numbers for my
>IP security protocol, so I'm thinking about this stuff. Unfortunately
>I can't always depend on there being a sound board, so I'm still open
>to other ideas.

Again, being more Mac literate than PC; can't you look at the battery
voltage from the bios?  Depending on the resolution here, it might be a
good seed value.

Or maybe base it on something coming from the Ethernet interface?  Time
between packets, collision avoidence statistics (can you even get to
this?).

And who says you have to do t only one way?  Start with the sound board, if
not there rely on the keyboard or something?

Rusty H. Hodge, Hodge Productions    <rustman@netcom.com> (714) 532-6800
GAT d--@ -p+(p---) c++ !l u++ m+(*) s+/++ !n(-) h* f+(*) !g w++ t@ r- y*