Random Non-Repeating

random-non-repeating.py

#Whenever an item is selected, move it to the back of the array and randomly select from a slice of the original array array.slice(0, -5).

var a = ["Roger", "Russell", "Clyde", "Egbert", "Clare", "Bobbie", "Simon", "Elizabeth", "Ted", "Caroline"];

var chooseName = function () {
    var unique = true;
    num = Math.floor(Math.random() * a.length - 5);
    name = a.splice(num,1);
    a.push(name);
}


window.addEventListener("keypress", function (e) {
    var keycode = e.keyCode;
    if (keycode == 13) {
        chooseName();
    }
}, false);


#EDIT: This also has the side-effect of not giving whichever variables happen to tail the list the unfair 
# disadvantage that they won't be considered in the first N calls. If that's a problem for you, maybe try 
# hold a static variable somewhere to keep track of the size of the slice to use and max it out at 
#B (in this case, 5). e.g.

var a = ["Roger", "Russell", "Clyde", "Egbert", "Clare", "Bobbie", "Simon", "Elizabeth", "Ted", "Caroline"];
B = 5; //max size of 'cache'
N = 0;

var chooseName = function () {
    var unique = true;
    num = Math.floor(Math.random() * a.length - N);
    N = Math.min(N + 1, B);
    name = a.splice(num,1);
    a.push(name);
}