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EBiz Gold Windows

Monday, June 21, 2010

Urban Myth of = rand(200,99)- amazing!

Just so that we are both on the same page or wave-length. Launch Word for Windows and type precisely :
= rand(200,99)

What you should get is zillions of : The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

If it does not work e.g. you have Word 2007 try this:

=rand.old()

The urban myth is that this is a bug with Word for Windows. A variation of this urban myth is that Microsoft programmers have left an 'Easter Egg*' in the program. The truth is more prosaic, even boring, = rand(200,99) is a function included by design.
Despite truth, that need not stop you baffling your friends by challenging them to type the phrase = rand(200,99) in their copy of Word for Windows.

Background of = rand(200,99)

Word for Windows has a powerful built-in macro language. Try highlighting text and holding down the shift key while pressing F3 (Function key 3). That's a more useful Word macro in action.
To return to = rand(200,99). The effect of zillions of : The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog, works even if you omit any numbers, = rand(), moreover you can try other numbers, for example = rand(2,3). Soon you will realize that the first number refers to the paragraphs, while the second number refers to the sentences. Who ever initiated this urban myth wanted to demonstrate the maximum parameters of sentences and paragraphs.
=rand() is a well known random function hand for statistics or simulating card games such as blackjack.

Finally, a word about the phrase:
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
This is a classic sentence to check every letter in the English alphabet, for example to see how letters with tails appear in different fonts.

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