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SubjectRe: CONFIG_RANDOM option for 1.99.2
>What if someone's running in very tight memory (2-4 MB) and for one
>reason or another doesn't care about crackers (isn't on the net, or
>just doesn't care about security)? The only feasible thing that the
>kernel needs good random numbers for is security, and people should
>have the option to turn that off if the memory and CPU cycles are too
>critical.

Yes, but nonsecurity-related userspace programs might also want good random
numbers. Consider a simulation using the Monte Carlo method--pseudorandom
numbers might produce misleading results.

-- Aaron Ucko (ucko@vax1.rockhurst.edu; finger for PGP public key) | httyp!
"That's right," he said. "We're philosophers. We think, therefore we am."
-- Terry Pratchett, _Small Gods_ | Geek Code 3.1 [for explanation, finger
hayden@mankato.msus.edu]: GCS/M/S/C d- s: a18 C++(+++)>++++ UL++>++++ P++
L++>+++++ E- W(-) N++(+) o+ K- w--- O M@ V-(--) PS++(+++) PE- Y(+) PGP(+) t(+)
!5 X-- R(-) tv-@ b++(+++) DI+ !D-- G++(+++) e->+++++(*) h!>+ r-(--)>+++ y?


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