Re: Random numbers

Aric LeDell wrote:

  Nadav Zin wrote:
>
> I need to generate random numbers in Oracle environment and could
 not
> find a straight forward way to do it. Has anyone got a PL/SQL code
 to
> share?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Please reply to: N.Zin_at_cs.ucl.ac.uk

  Yes, I was able to put together a psuedo-random integer generator.   The algorithm comes from the excellent book:   'Numerical Recipies in C', Press, et.al., p 284.

  Please contact me at aledell_at_targetsite.com if you wish to use   the source code.

                  -Aric

 i don't mean to be contrary, but numerical recipes in * is widely regarded
to contain poor numerical algorithms with numerous bugs. if you are looking
for good algorithms you should go to http://www.netlib.org.

for instance, check out the code for the sign function. it is out and out wrong.
also look at the integration routines. they are shit as well. an undergraduate
n.a. student could write more robust and efficient algorithms. if you are looking
for numerical algorithms, contact a numerical analyst. n.a. in c is not the way
to learn numerics.

--Tim Burns Received on Wed Apr 16 1997 - 00:00:00 CEST