Re: use of rand() in zsh

[Clinton Bunch <cdbunch@zentaur.org>]

On 10/11/2022 8:23 AM, Peter Stephenson wrote:
>> On 11/10/2022 13:51 Clinton Bunch <cdb_zsh@zentaur.org> wrote:
>>
>> 3. Write a module (e.g. zsh/random) that introduced a new special
>> parameter when loaded (more complicated, but isolated to those who want
>> it and possible to fail on systems that don't have a kernel entropy pool)
> An autoloadable parameter gives you something that works basically as if
> it's part of the shell but can be turned off as well as giving an error
> if the module isn't available, so might be the best bet.  So the
> .mdd file would have
>
> autofeatures=p:SRANDOM
>
> pws
>
That's a neat trick, but as someone who has had to hack to build 
software built and primarily tested on Linux, on a Unix system stuck in 
the '00's (if not the last century), I'd rather have an explicit 
load/test for the existence of the module than have it blow up on a 
system where SRANDOM didn't work. (8 years as an HP-UX admin)

My $.02 for whatever that's worth. :)