Messages in this thread |  | You are asking for 16kB of unswappable kernel memory on every Linux machine in the world, plus CPU cycles that many people are already starved for. You are asking for CPU cycles from 386SX-16 users trying to compile the kernel!
Pick a compromise:
Plan A: Reduce the pool size, reduce the number of times randomness gets added, and double the bit estimate to make up for the lost quantity. Use an existing CRC to do the hash.
Plan B: Reduce the number of times randomness gets added and double the bit estimate to make up for the lost quantity. Put the entropy pool and hash function into a user space daemon that grabs bits from a new /dev/rawentropy when required. The daemon provides /dev/random and /dev/urandom as named pipes.
Ted, you should write a light version of /dev/random. If you don't, someone else will write one based on a really _bad_ pseudo-random number generator or will even just get rid of /dev/random completely. (Well, it's already been done! You'd better hurry if you want to save /dev/random from obscurity.)
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