Re: [Monotone-devel] Re: current multiple heads (was Re: write access to my public server)

[Jon Bright]

graydon hoare wrote:

> Jon Bright wrote:
>
> > Are these cryptographically random bits?  If so, using that many 
> > random bits does sound like a bit of a recipe for draining the 
> > machine's entropy pool (particularly on unattended remote machines 
> > that don't have the advantage of keyboard/mouse input).
>
>
> well, an unattented machine isn't likely to run "monotone bump" or such; 
>  it's really only a special case for users to "break cycles" when they 
> would otherwise form. I doubt it will be common.

We have lots of servers at a remote location that we develop on via 
VPN/SSH.  These machines don't have keyboards, mice or monitors but 
would be liable to see quite a lot of "monotone bump".... they do get 
some entropy from HDs, network latency and so forth, I imagine, but 
they're otherwise fairly starved.


> > Would generating a GUID perhaps be easier?  It'd certainly be less 
> > entropy-hungry.  And there's lots of pre-existing stuff about for 
> > dealing with GUIDs...
>
>
> perhaps. I guess I just have more confidence in general improbability 
> than I do in "global uniqueness". but that's all it's serving as, yes.

GUID generation is flexible in this respect - it can be generated with 
reference to factors such as time, MAC address and so forth, or 
generated randomly.

--
Jon Bright
Silicon Circus Ltd.
http://www.siliconcircus.com