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On 9/9/07, Ron Green <rongreen1 / mac.com> wrote:
>
> Marcel Molina Jr. wrote:
> > It should be noted though that String#hash isn't garaunteed to be
> > unique.
>
> Then,again I ask, what is it good for?


It's still useful as a hash. Marcel wasn't wrong, but *no* fixed size hash
is "guaranteed" to be unique as that's absolutely impossible, per the
pigeonhole principle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigeonhole_principle).
String#hash's hash is of a far lower "quality" than that offered by, say,
SHA-1 or SHA-2.

Regards,
Peter Cooper
http://www.rubyinside.com/

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