In: Root » Computers and technology » Data compression
Compression has proven to be such a valuable technology that it is used in other ways besides increasing disk storage. For example, advanced modem protocols often include data compression to increase throughput levels. In addition, file archiving software such as the popular program PKZip, also takes advantage of compression to more effectively use your disk's space. File compression and archiving software differs from ordinary disk compression in several ways. It works on a file-by-file basis rather than across a complete disk. It is not automatic; you manually select the files you want to archive and compress. The archiving software does not work on the fly but instead executes upon your command. It compresses files individually but can package several files together into a single archive file. Archive files are stored as ordinary DOS files but can be read or executed only after they have been uncompressed. Because these archiving systems do not compress on the fly, they can spend extra time to optimize their compression-for example, trying several compression algorithms to find the most successful one. They can often achieve higher compression ratios than standard disk compression software. (Because they are time insensitive, these programs can try more complex compression methods and avoid the rule that a compressed file can be compressed no further.) Your disk compression software, however, can't squeeze their contents any tighter. Perhaps the most popular application for file compression software is preparing files for transmission by modem. It allows you to package together a group of related files, shrink them to the minimal possible size, and conveniently ship them off with a single send command. Of course, the resulting files will not be further compressible, so your modem will apparently operate at a slower speed, passing along the compressed data byte-for-byte.
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