[Bug 804355] [NEW] jot random number generator broken in batch jobs
Launchpad Bug Tracker
804355 at bugs.launchpad.net
Thu Mar 15 16:13:34 UTC 2012
You have been subscribed to a public bug by Ubuntu Foundation's Bug Bot (crichton):
jot -r generates same random numbers within one second time so it's
unusable in batch jobs like shell scripts.
There is code for initializing "random" seed:
s = (randomize ? time(0) : STEP_DEF);
/*... snip ....*/
srand((int) s);
Here is an example of this behavior:
rbtz at rbtz-desktop:~$ date +%s; jot -r 1 0 10000000
1309455778
9981995
rbtz at rbtz-desktop:~$ date +%s; jot -r 1 0 10000000
1309455779
2355993
rbtz at rbtz-desktop:~$ date +%s; jot -r 1 0 10000000
1309455779
2355993
rbtz at rbtz-desktop:~$ date +%s; jot -r 1 0 10000000
1309455779
2355993
rbtz at rbtz-desktop:~$ date +%s; jot -r 1 0 10000000
1309455780
3745306
rbtz at rbtz-desktop:~$ date +%s; jot -r 1 0 10000000
1309455780
3745306
As fast fix pid can be added to seed
srandom((int) s ^ (getpid()<<4));
As good fix arc4random or similar mechanism can be used.
** Affects: athena-jot (Ubuntu)
Importance: Undecided
Status: New
** Tags: patch
--
jot random number generator broken in batch jobs
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/804355
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