From: smb@research.att.com
Date: Sat, 30 Apr 94 05:05:17 PDT
To: hughes@ah.com (Eric Hughes)
Subject: Re: Random #'s via serial port dongle?
Message-ID: <9404301205.AA14980@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


	 >This has probably been discussed before, but has anyone built a littl
	e
	 >device that amplifies the white noise from a transistor junction, and
	 >converts it into serial data?  

	 As Tim mentions, lots of people have talked about doing this, but few
	 actually have.  Nevertheless, the device is still needed and no one
	 has done it.

	 I estimate you could sell 500 at $50 each within four months if there
	 were PGP support for it.  And I'll give you advertising space on the
	 archive site.

	 Real random numbers should be a standard part of every computer.

Absolutely.  Given a choice between a hardware encryptor -- even a
public key hardware encryptor -- and a true random number generator,
I'd unhesitatingly choose the latter.