TinkerRandom bytes: 512 bytes.8 piles · 512 B of 512 B
Chapter 5 of 7
Already squeezed
The nightly send also carries random bytes, like an encrypted backup, and files packed before. Someone suggests packing them again.
This chapter: Why can’t any method shrink every file?
About this chapter
You will learn
- Random bytes have no repeats to replace
- Packing a packed file gains nothing
- There are fewer short files than long ones
Words you’ll meet
- Pigeonhole
- More files than shorter files to turn them into, so some must stay as long or grow.
- Entropy
- The average bits per byte no code can beat; near eight means nothing left to squeeze.
Step 1 of 4
The random bytes are 512 bytes of noise. Their piles stand nearly level.
Predict what packing does to them.