Re: Random Password problem

I know that true randomness only exists in nature. However, the randomization in PHP is fairly good. I have only used it on fairly small scales (i.e. Randomizing 200 quotes to give a random quote when people log onto a page.) For passwords I have always gone an easier route. $password = time(); This will produce an impossible to guess string of numbers I think about 9 or 10 characters in length. I am sure others here will have better options. But this has worked well for me and is very very easy. <?php /* Stephen Johnson c | eh The Lone Coder http://www.thelonecoder.com stephen@thelonecoder.com 562.924.4454 (office) 562.924.4075 (fax) continuing the struggle against bad code */ ?> > From: "J. Connolly" <web@jozef.info> > Date: Tue, 08 Mar 2005 14:41:11 -0500 > To: PHP list <php-db@lists.php.net> > Subject: [PHP-DB] Random Password problem > > I am using this php in order to create, store and send random passwords > to people who want to join my mailing list. > > <?php > function random_password () { > $seed = (integer) md5(microtime()); > mt_srand($seed); > $password = mt_rand(1,99999999); > $password = substr(md5($password), 3,9); > return $password; > } > ?> > > <?php > $msg = random_password(); > echo $msg; > ?> > > I seem to be getting the same number very often which makes me fear that > this is not so random. I am a noob so I do not know if this is > coincidence or a fault in my coding. > Right now, I have been setting up passwords manually, but would like > users to be as free from me as possible. Any direction would be helpful. > > BTW, I keep getting the following number an absurd amount of times. I > have deleted cookies and even gone to other machines, and yet it still > generates this number. > > 8f31a3 > > Thank you, > jozef > > -- > PHP Database Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) > To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php >