+/** Generate a random amount of symbols and destroy them again immediatly.
+ * This operation effectively makes the serial numbers of all subsequent
+ * symbols unpredictable. If the serials are unpredictable, then so are
+ * their hash values. If the hash values are unpredictable, then so are
+ * the canonical orderings. If the canonical orderings are unpredictable,
+ * all subsequent times are subject to some variation. This variation,
+ * however is natural and desireable for two reasons: First, we cannot know
+ * how many symbols have been generated before in real world computations.
+ * Second, the following timings are subject to some semi-random variation
+ * anyways because short timings need to be repeated until enough time has
+ * gone by for the measurement to be reliable. During this process the serial
+ * numbers will be shifted anyways in a semi-random way. It is better not
+ * to lull the user in a false sense of reproducibility and instead confront
+ * her with the normal variation to be expected.
+ */
+void randomify_symbol_serials()
+{
+ srand((unsigned)time(NULL));
+ const int m = rand() % 666;
+ for (int s=0; s<m; ++s ) {
+ symbol* tmp = new symbol;
+ delete tmp;
+ }
+}
+