TheVoiid <
[email protected]> writes:
On Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 3:35:55 PM UTC+2, [email protected] wrote:
Hi, I'm looking for discussions about compressing random bit
streams. For example, "Can you win by betting on random coin
tosses?", where the arguments typically follow the reasoning, "No
matter what you bet, on average, you'll win half the time, so you
will break even", which I consider defeatist since if you play
'unlimited double up', the outcome is effectively, "Heads, you win,
and tails, you break even". Essentially, you don't need to know what
the outcome of next toss will be, only that there will be a next
toss.
Is there somewhere that folks sill discuss these things?
James
You can discuss it at: https://encode.su/
Why not discuss it here?
Like most Usenet newsgroups, activity here has fallen off, but someone
could still start an interesting discussion.
I'll note that encode.su links to the FAQ for this newsgroup:
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/compression-faq/part1/section-8.html
QUOTE:
9.1 Introduction
It is mathematically impossible to create a program compressing without loss
*all* files by at least one bit (see below and also item 73 in part 2 of this
FAQ). Yet from time to time some people claim to have invented a new algorithm
for doing so. Such algorithms are claimed to compress random data and to be
applicable recursively, that is, applying the compressor to the compressed
output of the previous run, possibly multiple times. Fantastic compression
ratios of over 100:1 on random data are claimed to be actually obtained.
Such claims inevitably generate a lot of activity on comp.compression, which
can last for several months. Large bursts of activity were generated by WEB
Technologies and by Jules Gilbert. Premier Research Corporation (with a
compressor called MINC) made only a brief appearance but came back later with a
Web page at
http://www.pacminc.com. The Hyper Space method invented by David
C. James is another contender with a patent obtained in July 96. Another large
burst occured in Dec 97 and Jan 98: Matthew Burch <
[email protected]> applied
for a patent in Dec 97, but publicly admitted a few days later that his method
was flawed; he then posted several dozen messages in a few days about another
magic method based on primes, and again ended up admitting that his new method
was flawed. (Usually people disappear from comp.compression and appear again 6
months or a year later, rather than admitting their error.)
Other people have also claimed incredible compression ratios, but the programs
(OWS, WIC) were quickly shown to be fake (not compressing at all). This topic
is covered in item 10 of this FAQ.
END QUOTE
--
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith)
[email protected]
Working, but not speaking, for Philips
void Void(void) { Void(); } /* The recursive call of the void */
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