Random Data Compressed 100:1 (Guffaw)

[Marcel Popescu]

From: "Michael Motyka" <mmotyka at lsil.com>

> random data cannot be compressed
>
> or
>
> random data may include recognizable and even repeating patterns

Both. As someone already explained, you can write a specific algorithm that
will compress a string of 100 zeros to a single 0. Now, if given a random
string of 100 bits, there is a probability of 1 in 2^100 that this string is
all zeros - in which case you'll manage to compress it. But in all cases,
your algorithm won't accomplish anything. And in the one case where you're
lucky, the string is NOT random - it's specified.

Mark