[aklug] Re: [OT] Re: random bits vs random Hex

On Wed, May 29, 2013 1:50 pm, Arthur Corliss wrote:
> On Wed, 29 May 2013, Doug Davey wrote:
>
>> Bryan is right, if you have saved the binary data poorly, in an odd way,
>> there is potential for fluff that would be easily be trimmed by a
>> compression algorithm.
>
> Uh, if we're saying let's save a binary stream intentionally inflated so
> that we can "compress" it only to get a stream of the original size -- in
> other words, *no* compression at all -- then maybe.... if I can get my fuzzy
> little head around the point of this exercise at all. None of this,
> however, gives you any real compression.

Okay, I re-read the first few messages in this thread (including my
own), and I see the source of confusion.

My objective was never to suggest a compression algorithm. I was saying
that if a string of bits is converted *poorly* -- to a base that isn't
a good match (a power of two, specifically) -- then in the new sequence
of data elements, not all values would be equally likely, as was the case
in the original post (binary -> hex).

Maybe that will clear things up, if you can make it through that last
sentence.

--
Bryan Medsker
bryanm@acsalaska.net
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