Some systems suggest using the rand() function with a negative seed causing the system to get the seed from the computer clock. Then they recommend subsequent rand() function calls without a seed. You may want to play with this. I have always considered it good enough. YMMV -----Original Message----- From: sinck@ugive.com [mailto:sinck@ugive.com] Sent: Monday, October 23, 2000 7:51 AM To: plug-discuss@lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us Subject: Re: Random Numbers in Perl This is an excellent go, and I'll only make one kibbitz technically: \_ $randigit = int( rand( $base) ); Do you trust rand() to be random? It's probably mostly random as far as humans can tell, but computers? rand('maybe', 'maybe not'). :-) David