also interesting that, if you would use epoch time for the seed, the result should be totally deterministic even if the time never repeats.
now it depends on knowing the seeding algorithm to find out what numbers will return with a certain seed...
but still it should seem totally random if not knowing the time and the seeding algorithm.
if using lua you do not even need [random] for that. i implemented epoch time with millis for ofelia once,

auto duration = now.time_since_epoch();
auto millis = std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::milliseconds>(duration).count();

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9089842/c-chrono-system-time-in-milliseconds-time-operations

but for now the seed it is generated from ofGetElapsedTimeMicros():

lua_random_seed.pd

@Jona Yes, i believe at the core of each random algorithm is a cryptographic hash algorithm. A hash algorithm provides an output for each input in such a way that you cannot determine the input if you only know the output, even if you know the algorithm.

The only way to determine the input would be by brute force, that means calculating the outputs for all possible inputs within a given range and storing all input-output pairs in a huge so called rainbow table. With that you can look up the input for any output.

But other than that you cannot for example see any connection between hash(12) and hash(13). The inputs are close together, but the outputs are completely distinct.

With this you can generate a chain of numbers that seem completely random but are in fact mathematically determined. Only if you add outside unpredictable information, entropy, to the mix, the results can become truly random. Or at least have a random starting point if the entropy is added only in the beginning.

For actual cryptography it is crucial to get good entropy into the system, as the algorithms are usually known and well researched and every bit of information about the starting condition can help to decipher the encrypted code.

But for Pd purposes it doesn't have to be that complicated. The actual time would be enough, if only Pd had an object for that. In one of the examples above [time] from zexy was used. But again, there is the problem with raspberry pis that don't have internet access. They don't have a battery to keep a clock running when they are off, so they always start at the same date after booting. So of course you would have some different time after Pd has started, but it is not as reliable as it would seem at first glance.

So a simple random generator would just do hash(seed), hash(hash0), hash(hash1) and so forth...

And some modulo to get into the desired range.