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AMD's random number generator can't generate a 0?

288 points · 220 comments · BruceEel

  1. 20k · · focus · HN ↗
    I always wonder how hardware bugs like this happen with the sheer amount of hardware validation that's done. It'd be fascinating to know how it slipped through the cracks, though I know almost nothing about this side of the industry sadly
    1. repstosb · · focus · HN ↗
      Validation can't be better than the quality of the specification. Humans don't create comprehensive, unambiguous specifications for the same reasons that we don't write bug-free code, and need formal validation.

      Brooks talks about this in _Mythical_Man-Month_... if you really could "just implement the specification", then the specification itself would be complete enough to serve as your code. There will always be bugs in both.

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