Tell me more ×
Computational Science Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for scientists using computers to solve scientific problems. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 3 down vote favorite

Are there any existing software toolkits, libraries, frameworks or whatever for studying the quality of pseudorandom number generators that allow one to add a known amount of imperfection - e.g deliberate higher-order correlations - then obtain statistics of various RNGs whose outputs are so modified?

share|improve this question
1  
I suppose you're talking about something more than quasi random number generators? – David Zaslavsky Feb 13 '12 at 1:22
I'm wanting to create imperfect random numbers 1) to test the methods by which we test RNGs and 2) to see just what effects imperfect RNGs have on physics simulations, Monte Carlo calculations etc. – DarenW Feb 13 '12 at 20:44

1 Answer

up vote 2 down vote

Did you have a look at dieharder?

Dieharder is a random number generator (rng) testing suite. It is intended to test generators, not files of possibly random numbers as the latter is a fallacious view of what it means to be random. Is the number 7 random? If it is generated by a random process, it might be. If it is made up to serve the purpose of some argument (like this one) it is not. Perfect random number generators produce "unlikely" sequences of random numbers -- at exactly the right average rate. Testing a rng is therefore quite subtle.

share|improve this answer
I heard of Dieharder (and Diehard) years ago but wasn't aware of any capability to add imperfection to a good stream of randomness. – DarenW Feb 13 '12 at 20:42

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.