[FRIAM] Why "true" random?

[Peter Lissaman]

Why is it important (except intellectually) to have "true" randomness???  I very well remember the early, good old, bad old, days of Aerospace, in the 50's, when we were really doing practical earthshattering things -- like going to the moon -- sans computers!!  The RAND corporation, for whom I consulted, published a typed book (size of a Manhattan telephone directory) of "random" numbers  for engineering application.  Much entertainment was occasioned when, about three months later, they distributed a list of "typos" to their original list of random numbers.  Today I use homemade random numbers alla time for real problems, specifically the actual response of real flight vehicles in real atmospheric turbulence.  Flight tests support  analysis, in the sense that what we predict is not obviously incorrect.  We have never found it necessary to utilize any more "perfectly random" "random" sequences!


Peter Lissaman, Da Vinci Ventures

Expertise is not knowing everything, but knowing what to look for.

1454 Miracerros Loop South, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
TEL: (505) 983-7728 FAX: (505) 983-1694
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