DragonFly On-Line Manual Pages
BOGOSORT(1) DragonFly General Commands Manual BOGOSORT(1)
NAME
bogosort - sorts or doesn't sort files or standard input
SYNOPSIS
bogosort [options] [files]
DESCRIPTION
bogosort sorts files or its standard input using the bogo-sort
algorithm. (I won't even bother to dream up some bogus advantages
here.)
If any files are given input is taken from files in stead of standard
input.
It can also just randomise the lines in its input, allowing you to
perform your own check in a loop.
OPTIONS
bogosort accepts the following options:
-n, --nosort
Don't check if the output is sorted, just exit after permuting
the lines once.
-r, --norandom
If configured with support for /dev/(u)random don't try to read
/dev/(u)random for seeding rand, ignored otherwise.
-s, --seed number
Use number to seed rand.
-o, --output name
Write output to name instead of standard output.
-h, --help
Show summary of options.
-v, --verbose
Output a `.' (dot) to standard error for each permutation of the
lines, and send some non critical error messages to standard
error.
-V, --version
Show version of program.
JARGON FILE ENTRY
The following section is taken from the Jargon File.
...The archetypical perversely awful algorithm (as opposed to bubble
sort, which is merely the generic bad algorithm). Bogo-sort is
equivalent to repeatedly throwing a deck of cards in the air, picking
them up at random, and then testing whether they are in order. It
serves as a sort of canonical example of awfulness. Looking at a
program and seeing a dumb algorithm, one might say "Oh, I see, this
program uses bogo-sort." Esp. appropriate for algorithms with factorial
or super-exponential running time in the average case and
probabilistically infinite worst-case running time. Compare bogus,
brute force, lasherism...
BUGS
This program is intentionally bogus.
SEE ALSO
sort(1), Jargon File <http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/jargon/>.
AUTHOR
Ulrik Haugen <qha@lysator.liu.se>.
August 9, 2000 BOGOSORT(1)