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<title>Boost Random Number Library</title>
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<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
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<table border="1" bgcolor="#007F7F" cellpadding="2">
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<tr>
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<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><img src="../../c++boost.gif" alt="c++boost.gif (8819 bytes)" width="277" height="86"></td>
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<td><a href="../../index.htm"><font face="Arial,Helvetica" color="#FFFFFF"><big>Home</big></font></a></td>
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<td><a href="../libraries.htm"><font face="Arial,Helvetica" color="#FFFFFF"><big>Libraries</big></font></a></td>
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<td><a href="../../more/faq.htm"><font face="Arial,Helvetica" color="#FFFFFF"><big>FAQ</big></font></a></td>
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<td><a href="../../more/index.htm"><font face="Arial,Helvetica" color="#FFFFFF"><big>More</big></font></a></td>
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<h1>Boost Random Number Library</h1>
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By <a href="../../people/jens_maurer.htm">Jens Maurer</a>
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<p>
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You should read the
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<a href="random-concepts.html">concepts documentation</a> before
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moving on.
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<p>
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For a quick start, it may be sufficient to have a look at
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<a href="random_demo.cpp">random_demo.cpp</a>.
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<p>
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<table border="1" cellpadding="5">
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<tr>
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<td align="center"><b><i>Header</i></b></td>
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<td align="center"><b><i>Contents</i></b></td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td align="center"><code><a href="../../boost/random.hpp"><boost/random.hpp></a></code>
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<p><a href="random-generators.html">documentation for generators</a><br>
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<a href="random-distributions.html">documentation for distributions</a><br>
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<a href="random-misc.html">documentation for miscellaneous classes</a></td>
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<td>Pseudo-random number generators (linear congruential, inversive
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congruential, and others), distribution functions (uniform, normal,
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exponential, and others) and miscellaneous decorator classes such as
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<strong>random_number_generator</strong> for use in simulations,
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games, and testing.</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td align="center"><code><a href="../../boost/nondet_random.hpp"><boost/nondet_random.hpp></a></code>
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<p><a href="nondet_random.html">documentation</a></td>
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<td>Non-deterministic random number generators.</td>
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</tr>
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</table>
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<p>
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An extensive test suite for the pseudo-random number generators and
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distributions is available as
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<a href="random_test.cpp">random_test.cpp</a>.
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<h2>Rationale</h2>
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The methods for generating and evaluating deterministic and
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non-deterministic random numbers differ radically. Furthermore, due
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to the inherent deterministic design of present-day computers, it is
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often difficult to implement non-deterministic random number
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generation facilities. Thus, the random number library is split into
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separate header files, mirroring the two different application
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domains.
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<h2>History and Acknowledgements</h2>
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In November 1999, Jeet Sukumaran proposed a framework based on virtual
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functions, and later sketched a template-based approach. Ed Brey
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pointed out that Microsoft Visual C++ does not support in-class member
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initializations and suggested the <code>enum</code> workaround. Dave
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Abrahams highlighted quantization issues.
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<p>
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The first public release of this random number library materialized in
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March 2000 after extensive discussions on the boost mailing list.
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Many thanks to Beman Dawes for his original <code>min_rand</code>
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class, portability fixes, documentation suggestions, and general
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guidance. Harry Erwin sent a header file which provided additional
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insight into the requirements. Ed Brey and Beman Dawes wanted an
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iterator-like interface.
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<p>
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Beman Dawes managed the formal review, during which Matthias Troyer,
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Csaba Szepesvari, and Thomas Holenstein gave detailed comments. The
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reviewed version became an official part of boost on 17 June 2000.
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<p>
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Gary Powell contributed suggestions for code cleanliness. Dave
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Abrahams and Howard Hinnant suggested to move the basic generator
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templates from namespace <code>boost::detail</code> to
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<code>boost::random</code>. Ed Brey pointed out how to avoid two
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superfluous warnings.
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<p>
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<hr>
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Jens Maurer, 2000-09-28
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</body>
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