Will string.GetHashCode() return negative value?

Question

I tried with batch of random strings, all values I got are positive, but I wondering:

Will String.GetHashCode() return negative or 0?

Since the return value is int, so I guess it might be, so if it is the case, I have to change my logic.

If you have answer or have some official sources, please share

Answer 1

Yes, it can return negative values.

You must not have any logic that works with GetHashCode() values.
GetHashCode() is not guaranteed to be unique and can change between builds.

GetHashCode() must be treated as an opaque token that can be combined with other hashes or modded out into hashtables.

Answer 2

It can return negative value (based on msdn):
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.string.gethashcode.aspx