gistfile1.txt

#!/usr/bin/env python

import random, string, time

def rand():
    return start_date + random.random() * (end_date - start_date)

def fmt(seconds):
    return '[%s]' % time.ctime(seconds)

def find(seconds):
    last = None
    for sec in times:
        if sec < seconds:
            return sec, last
        last = sec

datfile = "time-between-blocks2.dat"

count = 0
lines = 100000
samples = 100000
times = []

fp = open(datfile, "r")

while True:
    line = fp.readline()
    if not line:
        break
    line = string.split(line[:-1])
    times.append(string.atoi(line[1]))
    count += 1
    if (count == lines):
        break

start_date = times[-1]
end_date = times[0]

print "picking random dates between %s and %s" % (fmt(start_date), fmt(end_date))

before_sum = 0
after_sum = 0

count = 0
while True:
    t = rand()
    before, after = find(t)
    before_sum += t - before
    after_sum += after - t
    count += 1
    if count % 1000 == 0:
        print ("(%6d) %s is %6.2f seconds after %s (%6.2f) and %6.2f seconds before %s (%6.2f)" %
               (count,
                fmt(t),
                t - before, fmt(before), before_sum / count,
                after - t,  fmt(after), after_sum / count))