biased random integers

[mfulton26]

I can't tell but I believe this applies. Won't random-int provide biased numbers?

Refs:

• Aaron Toponce : Why The "Multiply and Floor" RNG Method Is Biased
• ckknight/random-js: A mathematically correct random number generator library for JavaScript.

[sindresorhus]

It should be uniform. See: https://stackoverflow.com/a/1527820/64949

[mfulton26]

That SO answer has the following comment:

Using Math.round() will give you a non-uniform distribution!

So I think it won't be uniform; I'm not sure that's an issue or not. For most purposes it seems like the small bias is acceptable but more sensitive cases (cryptographic, etc.) it would not be.

I wonder if it would be worthwhile to use an implementation similar to the one from Aaron Toponce or to mention in the readme about this.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[joepie91]

For most purposes it seems like the small bias is acceptable but more sensitive cases (cryptographic, etc.) it would not be.

Biased or not, the use of Math.random at all makes this module dangerous for any kind of cryptographic use. Math.random is not an unpredictable random number generator, which is one of the requirements for cryptographic use.

So yes, a warning should be added to the README stating that this module should not be used for any sort of cryptographic purpose. Probably the same applies to the 'related modules' listed in the README.