Re: [Numpy-discussion] naive RNG question

[Charles R H. <cha...@gm...>]

On 10/11/06, Alan G Isaac <ai...@am...> wrote:
>
> Python's MT documentation exmphasize the period of the
> MT19937 algorithm but discusses not at all the seed size.
> The numpy documentation contains no commentary (I believe).
> Speaking from a position of utter RNG ignorance, seed size
> seems really important too: why is it not discussed?
> I noticed this algorithm
> http://www.math.sci.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/~m-mat/MT/MT2002/emt19937ar.html
> provides explicitly for seed size choice, which suggests
> that some documentation in this area would not be irrelevant
> (and also addresses some other interesting technical issues).


The maximum seed size is 624 32bit words. No doubt the documentation should
mention this.

Chuck