[extropy-chat] alt dot fair dice

[Dan Clemmensen]

It is trivially easy to make a polyhedron with any even number of faces
2N, N>2 such that the sides are all the same shape and
the polyhedron is auto-isomorphic. Simply take two n-sided regular pyramids
and glue them base-to-base.  D&D 8-sided dice had this configuration.

In the real world, this works for small N, but will eventually fail on a 
non-smooth
surface when you can no longer decide that only one face is contacting 
the surface.

For odd numbers, as always, number two faces with each number.

Of course, if you just need to rapidly generate uniform random numbers
from 1 to 2^^N, you can flip N distinguishable coins.

If you need to play Monopoly but have lost the dice, use a penny, a 
nickel, and a dime.
Discard all tails (0) and all heads (7). Flip the coins twice for two 
dice. This will
teach your children two things:
    1) Binary counting
    2) Don't lose the dice. It upsets you father.