Re: archiving GIF files on the GS

[stc7@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Steven T Chiang)]

In article <Bz1v5y.B55@news.iastate.edu> hal@budapest.math.macalstr.edu (Harold Byron Bouma) writes:
>
>	The reason why GIF files cannot be compressed any further is that
>they are already compressed using the LZW method (or versions of it).
>This is the same type of algorithm used by Shrinkit (and maybe
>AutoArk too, but that I do not know) which is why no additional
>compression can be done. Jpeg uses another compression algorithm and
>thats why they become smaller, however jpeg viewers on the GS are too
>slow to make converting them to that format worthwhile. If anyone
>takes the time to do a faster ASM version this might change.

	This is true, but apparently there's something called GIFLite,
that modifies the GIF in an "unnoticable" way to the eye, to make them
compress like 15-20% smaller....  Perhaps a GS program to do this is
in order...

	Or you could use DreamGrafix Format (once some other programs
support it)... it uses LZW, and it doesn't have the extra info that a
GIF might have (larger screen size etc), plus it won't take as long to
quantize when viewing.  (this isn't really directed to Hal, but more
Jimmy Shaw)

>| Hal Bouma                          | Send mail to: HBouma@Macalstr.edu    |

Steven Chiang                  Order - DreamGrafix:  The ONLY 16/256/3200
stc7@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu       color paint program for the Apple IIGS.
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