[NBLUG/talk] Request for help--how to program shuffling

[Steve Zimmerman]

On Wednesday 21 May 2003 09:34 pm, Andru wrote:
> [snip]
>
> Random does not mean "without order".
>
> There have been several attempts at a formal definition (again, see
> Knuth), but I tend to think of random as meaning:
>
>   Before the event occurs you do not know what will happen
>
> It is also useful in many contexts to include:
>
>   Before the event occurs, you know what the probability of each possible
>   outcome is.

End of debate.  I now agree more with the rebuttals
than with my original arguments.

Thank you for exhorting me to read Knuth.  I am doing so.  
Will get back to you later with questions, quotations and
comments re: _TAOCP_, vols. 1-3.

You're an excellent teacher.   : )

Let's say we have a computer with internal state
capable of representing 52! (fifty-two factorial).

Then let's say we have a file with all 52! possible 
combinations of a regular deck of cards,
each one on a line by itself (total 52! newlines in
file).

Now let's say we have a program capable of randomly
selecting one of the 52! lines in the file.

There's our random shuffle, correct?

So there's a computer that can beat Kasparov,
but there's not a computer that can perform
a random shuffle of 52 elements???

NDJA--Not Debating Just Asking.     : )

Feel free, of course, to ignore this post.
I'll try to get back to you with some
substantial Knuth homework under my 
belt.     : )