rsync - Feb 2004 - checksum_seed

What is the point to checksum_seed?  When reading/writing batch, it is
initialized to a constant value, otherwise it is initialized to
time(NULL).  It certainly has no useful cryptographic value :)

I got the go-ahead from the client on my --link-by-hash proposal, and the
seed is making the hash unstable.  I can't figure out why the seed is
there so I don't know whether to cirumvent it in my particular case or
calculate a separate, stable hash.

-- 
 Jason M. Felice
 Cronosys, LLC <http://www.cronosys.com/>
 216.221.4600 x302

On Mon, Feb 09, 2004 at 09:14:06AM -0500, Jason M. Felice
wrote:
> I got the go-ahead from the client on my --link-by-hash proposal, and
> the seed is making the hash unstable.  I can't figure out why the seed
> is there so I don't know whether to cirumvent it in my particular case
> or calculate a separate, stable hash.
There was some talk last year about adding a --fixed-checksum-seed
option, but no consensus was reached.  It shouldn't hurt to make the
seed value constant for certain applications, though, so you can feel
free to proceed in that direction for what you're doing for your client.

FYI, I just checked in some changes to the checksum_seed code that will
make it easier to have other options (besides the batch ones) specify
that a constant seed value is needed.

..wayne..