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clarify README
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quix committed Sep 13, 2008
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Expand Up @@ -91,20 +91,21 @@ closer to saying what you mean.

% drake --rand[=SEED]

This will randomize the order in which prerequisites are invoked.
When given the optional SEED integer, it will call srand(SEED) to
produce the same permutation each time.

Though this may produce an error due to an unspecified dependency, at
least it will be an error which is exactly the same on each run. In
addition, you'll have the major debugging advantage of using a single
thread.

The randomize option will also work in multi-threaded mode. After
all, once <tt>-jN</tt> is running smoothly there is <em>still</em> no
guarantee that you have it right. However with each successful
execution of <tt>-jN --rand</tt>, the probability of correctness gets
closer to 1 (though asymptotically so).
This will randomize the order of sibling prerequisites for each task.
When given the optional SEED integer, it will call
<tt>srand(SEED)</tt> to produce the same permutation each time. The
randomize option also disables +multitask+.

Though this option may produce an error due to an unspecified
dependency, at least it will be an error which is exactly the same on
each run (with SEED). In addition, you'll have the major debugging
advantage of using a single thread.

This option will also work in multi-threaded mode. After all, once
<tt>-jN</tt> is running smoothly there is <em>still</em> no guarantee
that you have it right. However with each successful execution of
<tt>drake -jN --rand</tt>, the probability of correctness approaches 1
(though asymptotically so).

(The only way to <em>prove</em> correctness is to test <em>all</em>
such permutations, which for any non-trivial project would be
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