Re: spinner entropy

> I believe this whole thread about randomness and entropy started with the
> search for a portable software RNG and the discussion of how to estimate
> the entropy of spinners.  If we accept the above paragraph, then we have
> to reject spinners as a candidate for such a RNG, for two reasons.  First,
> we have no model of how spinners generate randomness, so we can't estimate
> their entropy.  Second, even if we developed such a model for a particular
> spinner on a particular OS, the model itself would not be portable because
> it would likely rely on nonportable assumptions about the OS.
> 
> Do we have other candidates for portable software RNGs?
> 
> Wei Dai

I think it is best to have a black box that can not be modeled personally. 
Anyway I am in the middle of putting together a portable RNG that will should 
consist of nothing more than a photoelectric tube, 9volt battery, and a bit of 
wiring. It will connect through the serial port. Just put your favorite 
radioactive substance near it and your set. before people freak out, there are 
many substances that will produce enough beta particles without killing 
anyone. In fact you could just use background radiation, but it would take 
longer. Anyway I'll let you all know how it turns out.

-- 
thecrow@iconn.net
"It can't rain all the time"

RSA ENCRYPTION IN 3 LINES OF PERL
---------------------------------------------------------
#!/bin/perl -sp0777i<X+d*lMLa^*lN%0]dsXx++lMlN/dsM0<j]dsj
$/=unpack('H*',$_);$_=`echo 16dio\U$k"SK$/SM$n\EsN0p[lN*1
lK[d2%Sa2/d0$^Ixp"|dc`;s/\W//g;$_=pack('H*',/((..)*)$/)

> Anyway I am in the middle of putting together a portable RNG that will should 
> consist of nothing more than a photoelectric tube, 9volt battery, and a bit of 
> wiring. It will connect through the serial port. Just put your favorite 
> radioactive substance near it and your set. before people freak out, there are 

Why not just use a sound sample? "Please blow into the microphone"...
You've got the randomness of the sound itself, along with the minute
errors produced by the analog/digital converter. Should be able to get
plenty of entropy. Maybe even just use background noise.

Even if you don't have a sound card, you could probably fix something up 
that plugs into a port.

Seems like a good idea, but I'm no expert on entropy.

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