I understand it’s to save file space, but like…how?
Follow-up: If you have to compress a photo to save on file size (when emailing, for example) couldn’t it just send essentially a text file on how to uncompress it back to its original size and quality? (ex. “Set the resolution to XxY and add X color at Y pixels”)
Thank you!
In: Engineering
elii5 answer:
1111111111111111111111111111111111111
versus
1010001
The 1st is 40 long. The 2nd binary 101000 = decimal (2*2*2*2*2) 0+(2*2*2)+0+0+0 = decimal 40 and now it takes 7 characters.
7/40 is 17.5% of the original file.
* The actual process is so efficient that text files are roughly 10% of the actual fie.
* The last 1 is not needed but used to keep it simple: basically you KNOW it is a group of 1s as the group before and after are always 0 (otherwise it would be 41 or more 1’s)
“couldn’t it just send essentially a text file on how to uncompress it back to its original size and quality? (ex. “Set the resolution to XxY and add X color at Y pixels”)”
Too complex and you also need to take in account that files can get damaged during transport. Compression also has a check digit to make sure it can be repaired when it arrives at the other end.
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