Discussion Topics

Tests of Serial and Parallel RNGs

Are the current mix of random number tests adequate for the needs of the Monte Carlo and the random number generation communities? What other sorts of tests should be made widely available? Should these two communities work together in developing a suite of tests based on applications to create a tool that will (one hopes) predict undesirable interactions between generators and real applications?

Applications

What are the applications requirements that have not been addressed in the current generation of pseudorandom number generation tools for high performance machines? What sorts of future requirements need to be considered in the further development of pseudorandom number generation tools for high performance machines?

Quasi-random Numbers

What are the quasirandom number needs of the Monte Carlo community? Can quasirandom numbers be implemented with enough support to allow their often subtle application be used effectively by relative novices? What are the quasirandom number generation techniques that should be implemented for the Monte Carlo community? Are there fundamental differences between providing parallel quasirandom numbers and providing parallel pseudorandom numbers?

Theoretical RNG issues

What recent developments in pseudorandom number generation stand to benefit the the Monte Carlo community the most? What are some requirements of the Monte Carlo community that need to be addressed in the search for new pseudorandom number generators?

RNG Libraries

What are the roadblocks that vendors face in adopting the parallel random number generation tools presented in this workshop into their own scientific software? What are vendor requirements that have not been addressed in the parallel random number generation tools presented in this workshop?

ashoks@ncsa.uiuc.edu

Last modified:2 Mar 1998