2.2.5

Data Compression Software

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Data Compression Software

Data compression software allows users to store more data onto a certain disk.

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Compression

  • Compression utilities reduce the amount of disk space needed to store a file by applying a lossless compression algorithm.
  • Lossless compression means that no quality is lost from the original file, and it can be restored to the original.
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Decompression

  • Compression utilities can also decompress the compressed files to return them to their original versions.
  • Files must be decompressed in order to read them.
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Uses of compression

  • Although we cannot read compressed files without decompressing them first, they are useful in many situations. For example:
    • When a file won't be accessed regularly e.g. in archives.
    • When a file is to be transferred on a network (to speed up transfer).

Jump to other topics

1Components of a Computer

2Software & Software Development

3Exchanging Data

4Data Types, Data Structures & Algorithms

5Legal, Moral, Cultural & Ethical Issues

6Elements of Computational Thinking

6.1Thinking Abstractly

6.2Thinking Ahead

6.3Thinking Procedurally

6.4Thinking Logically

6.5Thinking Concurrently

7Problem Solving & Programming

8Algorithms

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