use Perl

• Fit the tool to the job (Score:2)

  by VSarkiss (704)

  Random functions require random tests, of course.

  Just like documentation: if it was hard to write, it should be hard to read.
• Writing tests for random functions (Score:1)

  by n1vux (1492)

  Tests of random functions, that is to say functions specified to act randomly, must be STATISTICAL tests. Run the function a large number of times ($N), and check that the basic and not-so-basic statistics match the model you require of your function under test.

  Pseudo code for an inadequate number of tests of an imaginary model, assumed not unlike a bell-curve - your mileage WILL vary -

  $fut= \&FunctionUnderTest;
  my @X= map { $fut->() } 1..$N ;
  
  use Acme::Statistics; # Fantasy package that provides

  --
  Bill
  # I had a sig when sigs were cool
  use Sig;
  • Re: (Score:2)

    by Ovid (2709)

    Interesting. I was just talking to a coworker about that. It's been years since statistics classes and I was struggling to remember the formulae involved in calculating what I was interested in. I wasn't thinking of a distribution under a bell curve so much as I was thinking "if X might not be correct, how many times do I need to calculate X to ensure the odds of it being incorrect are acceptably minimized?" More inportantly, I can't have randomly failing tests, but I'm quite happy to have a test which
• Not random (Score:2)

  by pudge (1)

  Intelligently designed!