zoro said:
i didn't understand what does it mean for a hash function to produce
well-dispersed output, and why it is important?
This almost sounds like homework, so I won't give you a direct answer.
Instead consider the yellow pages (or a telephone book) as a very simple
example of hashing:
Telephone books usually use a hash function that says "return the first
character of the input" and proceeds to put the item in the appropriate
section (A for Alf, B for Bobo, C for Cirdan, etc).
But consider what would happen if the telephone book used the hash function:
"return 'A' for any input" instead.
Now, assuming that all letters are equally likely to begin a name, the first
function produces input that is well-dispersed. The second one does not. As
for why it is important for the hash to produce well-dispersed output, I would
hope that by now it has become clear.
-n
P.S.: Yes, I realize that my example is not perfect. But it was not meant to
be and it does get the point across.
