Pseudorandom
 

You can't fake geekitude. Pseudorandom generators are not "pseudorandom" because of rounding issues, nor because they repeat individual elements. They are pseudorandom because the whole sequence of numbers they generate is predetermined based upon some numeric algorithm. (One consequence of this is that the entire sequence will eventually repeat itself, although modern RNGs are are designed with such a long period that repetition should not be an issue in the intended applications.)

Incidentally,

1) The assertion that algorithms for producing a pseudorandom integer "typically" generate noninteger results is incorrect. To the contrary, most of the modern processes are integer processes that need to be manipulated in order to produce a floating point value. It is true that some implementations do that work internally (in which case they are almost always normalized to produce a result in the range (0,1)) and expect the user to convert back to integers as necessary.

2) It is odd in the extreme to suggest there would be some difficulty in "picking" how to round 49.5 (or any other number with 1/2 as the fractional part). The convention that 1/2 rounds up to 1 is for all intents and purposes universally accepted.

3) Having a convention such as rounding up or down is not a "bias" that affects the apparent randomness of a pseudorandom number algorithm unless the algorithm is incorrectly designed.

Pseudorandom
 

Well, Hank faked it long enough to get Eva Silverstein's pants down to her ankles. But then she caught on.

Pseudorandom
 

Which is effectively random. I was only trying to tell Burger iPods are not really random, and can't be.

Of course my knowledge base is limited to preparing about a dozen extremely complex patent applications on the rolling codes for producing "random" numbers in car remote keyless entry systems. I'm sure you have greater expertise.

And since I try patent cases, I know to try to "dumb" down an explaination. My "rounding" example is an accurate problem, but was meant more as something these sheep could understand.
There is no difficulty in so picking, but it makes the process non-random. If you always round .5 up which, integer has a greater liklihood of being picked, 0 or 1? Not. Random.

Pseudorandom
 

Are you dumbing yourself down again?

Take the simple case. There are ten possible decimals.

0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4
0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9

The first five get rounded down to 0; the second five get rounded up to one. Assuming each is equally likely to be generated by the RNG, how is there a bias?

Of course, you can recreate this precise exercise to an infinite number of decimal places.

Has the Federal Circuit made you patent litigators lazy?

Pseudorandom
 

using standard algorithm protocals ( www.standardrandomgenerators.com ) 0.0 is not a possible result.

Pseudorandom
 

Is 1.0?

Pseudorandom
 

I believe that was Credit This' gpa in diff Eqs.

Pseudorandom
 

oh. the real problem with zero would be no -.5, -.4, etc.

Pseudorandom
 

Huh? The most random thing here is trying to figure out what you're trying to tell anyone when you say "random" in one sentence and "not really random" in the next.
Apparently so, since I'm right and you're wrong. :)

Seriously, my experience is limited to amateur coding mostly in jr. high and HS when I had time on my hands, but I do remember how it works.
Not to mention spelling.

Usually the goal when simplifying by example is to pick an accurate example.
By "accurate" you mean "not accurate," right? Baa.
No, it doesn't, unless you screw up the algorithm.
They have equal frequency if the numbers that you are rounding are uniformly distributed in the range [0,1). More generally, they have equal frequency in any algorithm that properly maps any uniform distribution range onto a range that is equally distributed around 0.5.
I never said it was impossible to design a faulty algorithm. Congratulations. My point was that it is easy to write a working algorithm. If, as I think you are suggesting, you have mapped a random number range onto a floating-point range such as [0, 50) then you would simply use a floor function (int()) rather than rounding to map back onto an integer range with the proper uniform distribution.

Pseudorandom
 

I haven't heard that name in a while. Assuming we are talking about the same person, I can assure you that I have spent considerably more time with her than Hank has. (And nobody's pants were lowered.)

MS Word for Dummies
 

Help.

I got a new computer a while ago, and with it a new copy of word. Somehow, the first time I used it, I think I changed the blank document template or something, so that every time I open a new document, there are already words on the page. (These words, for those of you who want to know, are "My name has been changed pursuant to").

Can someone please oh please make all of my new documents blank once again?

Thanks.

MS Word for Dummies
 

search for "normal.dot" and open it (look at the top to make sure it is .dot, and not .doc or just Document 1) and edit it and save and close it.

MS Word for Dummies
 

Helpful. Thank you!

New phone
 

This really is the shizznit
 

http://images.apple.com/home/2007/im...ur20070622.jpg


Iphone demo movie

This really is the shizznit
 

Anybody get one?

This really is the shizznit
 

Holy crap. Are people going to really pay thirteen hundred bucks for one of these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/APPLE-8GB-iPHONE...QQcmdZViewItem

This really is the shizznit
 

I'm sure there's a sucker out there who isn't willing to wait until restocking Saturday morning . . .

This really is the shizznit
 

According to the Apple web site, every single store in NY has stock.

help me burger
 

okay. my kid downloaded some crap on my macbook, i think. when I first turn it on an icon comes up that says there are no devices to update, and this is associated with something called superdrive update 2.1. I can't put the update in the trash, and I don't think it belongs. there also was some limewire downloads that I hope have all been deleted, but I can't be sure.

anyway the Macbook will periodically tells to shut down as it has locked up. umm I know that isn't right cuz I saw the commercial. my shuffle won't show up in i tunes, plus it does all sorts of odd things, like just stopping.

help me burger
 

Wonk, did you steal hank's login?

I believe there was a recent update for superdrives on Macbooks. Do you have a superdrive (burns DVDs)? Once you've run the update, then you can ditch the file. Don't know why you can't put it in the trash . . . try running software update, and then try to trash again.

What causes it to lock up/shut down?

I would get the limewire stuff off as best you can.

Also, have you repaired permissions recently? Go into Disk Utility, and select hard drive, then repair permissions. Then restart.

help me burger
 

Actually a fucked up apple update.

System preferences
Accounts
Select the account, then pick the tab that says "Login items" highlight the update then hit the minus key.

MAke sure your DVD drive still works. This update fried DVD drives all over the country.

help me burger
 

The Princess's iBook is freezing up again. Another faulty logic board. This makes 9 so far.

However, she wants to get a new computer for college, so we'll be buying her the new macbook. I'm hoping this one works better, because I would actually like to believe macs are functional.

If she can keep the new one going for the whole school year, I may think about getting myself one for my photography. The graphics kicks ass, and Aperture is probably the best photo software around.

help me burger
 

No limewire

help me burger
 

I'm surprised Apple hasn't cut the Wonk Princess off, like Sprint and its customers.

help me burger
 

They would, except that the boards keep frying out within the warranty period for replacement parts.

Burger please
 

okay, my shuffle will not "show up" on Itunes or even anywhere on my Mac. It might have been corrupted by Limewire. My next step is a drive to the Macstore, unless............. Burger, everything we can find as instructions to fix it, requires identifying it on the computer. what if it won't show up?

Burger please
 

Honestly, dunno. If you can't get it to show up, then you're not going to be able to do much with it. Is it plugged in correctly? have you tried plugging it into a different computer? Can you see it in system profiler?

ETA: BTW, I assume you "reset" it by turning it off for five seconds and then on.

Burger please
 

There is a function that is restore factory settings which allows you to unload all music [wipe clean] and reload all music from I Tunes.

The way I used to get my corrupt Mini to acknowledge was to put it in disk mode. which required you holding the middle button and another. you have to look this all up on the apple site to see how this applies to you. once it is in disk mode it will recognize on your mac. now for a shuffle I believe it is a flash drive so who knows if disk mode is even applicable.

But there must be a way to restore factory settings either way.

Free Tivo!

If you're looking for a second tivo box, or a first one, here's a "free" offer: link

You do need to buy a service plan, but you would have to anyway.

Burger please
 

Using Limewire is like fucking prostitutes w/o protection.

Burger please
 

epilouge: The genius bar pronounced it dead.

Vudu
 

OK, so I saw this the other day and it was pitched to me as a hot new way to get movies. It's a $400 box that connects to your broadband so you can watch any (well most any) movie on your TV set. I couldn't think of a real market for this because if you have cable and/or satellite you have at least some choice of HD movies to choose from. The movies are like $5.99 and I guess if you didn't want to wait for Netflix or whatever and you really really wanted to see a particular movie RIGHT NOW, I suppose it would be worth it. Anyway, here is the VUDU.

How do we collectively feel about Dyson vacuums? Worth the price premium?

I love mine. It's the only vacuum that's been able to keep up with the shedding dog.

I'll be back
 

A propos of pretty much nothing, whenever I read about the Dyson vacuum cleaner, I think it's the precursor to the T-1000.

how many kinds of fag are you?

We are quite happy with ours. I second Anne's comment about the dog.

Um, okay, what do we collectively think about Dyson vacuums?

While we do not have dogs or cats or children running around messing the place up, it seems to do a very good job of sucking and is a lot easier to push around than the Kirby. Much easier on the stairs. While it doesn't pull and fluff as well as the Kirby, it throws off a lot less dust.

We bought the small brush attachment which work awesome on the carpet in the cars. The attachments are a little sticky and difficult to put on and take off and I've been told by retailers that the attachments and and plastic housing itself is not as durable as people would like, but still, the sucking ability and the hepa filter work very well.