What algorithm does the random() function use?

From: Thomas Harold <thomas-news(at)nybeta(dot)com>
To: pgsql-novice(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: What algorithm does the random() function use?
Date: 2008-12-30 12:25:50
Message-ID: 495A134E.30209@nybeta.com
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So how good is the random() function in pgsql? How many iterations
through the PRNG before the PRNG loops?

Does it depend on the underlying O/S? Which, in our case, is CentOS 5,
64bit.

(I ask, because back in my Visual Basic days, I ran into an issue where
the built-in PRNG would loop after 30 bits worth had been used. Which
caused issues in a situation where we really need a whole lot more
length in our PRNG.)

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