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.

AUTHOR

Ulrik Haugen <qha@lysator.liu.se>.