While I don't think general random sources are a good fit for core functionality, apparently, NSRandomSpecifier exists: https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Cocoa/Reference/Foundation/Classes/NSRandomSpecifier_Class/index.html#//apple_ref/occ/cl/NSRandomSpecifier
Other material I consulted:
Standard Library: Standard library - Wikipedia
Foundation: https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Cocoa/Reference/Foundation/ObjC_classic/
GameplayKit Randomization: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/General/Conceptual/GameplayKit_Guide/RandomSources.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40015172-CH9-SW1
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On Apr 10, 2016, at 2:39 PM, Milos Rankovic <milos@milos-and-slavica.net> wrote:
On 10 Apr 2016, at 21:23, Erica Sadun <erica@ericasadun.com <mailto:erica@ericasadun.com>> wrote:
I do not think it's the role of a core language to worry about things like distributions, bias, and sampling.
Why do you mention “the role of a core language” here? That was explicitly not the ambition of my question. I’m talking about extending the Standard Library types and protocols in the Foundation framework (as this is already done on a large scale). Or, if this is what you mean by “core language”, how does capitalising strings according to the rules of grammar of every language on the planet qualify as any more fitting the domain of the core language?
milos