Re: [PATCH 1/6] maintenance: add get_random_minute()

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Aug 9, 2023, 18:50 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqq7cq4nj7l.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <a1e7d730-e220-48ec-8393-2d3538b80163@github.com>

Derrick Stolee <derrickstolee@github.com> writes:

Show 10 quoted lines

>> Instead of using srand() and rand() (which would make sense to wrap with
>> git_rand() as you propose), we can simplify our lives by using a CSPRNG,
>> which only gets initialized once, as is already the case with
>> csprng_bytes().
>
> So the idea is to use csprng_bytes() everywhere instead of srand()/rand().
>
> I can adjust my local patch to still create git_rand(), but base it on
> csprng_bytes() and not collide with your patch. Mimicking rand()'s behavior
> is a simpler interface to consume.

I am still ambivalent about wasting entropy for something that srand() would suffice, so git_rand() interface may be an welcome addition anyway, that serves an extra layer of indirection to insulate the callers from the implementation.

Thanks.