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Comment on Please check you kids' Halloween candy, everyone

Edit 2: According to Randall Munroe (to lazy to find the source), you could theoretically store one word letter per bit. That would give us up to ten two million books.

I don’t see how that is possible, I think it is be one letter per byte.

Bit only represents one state 1 or 0, or true or false. It is too little information to store a letter.

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Masimatutu@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Here ya go:

Based on the rates of correct guesses—and rigorous mathematical analysis—Shannon determined that the information content of typical written English was around 1.0 to 1.2 bits per letter.

what-if.xkcd.com/34/

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- Socsa@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  That’s based on common entropy limits of written information. It’s also why I always Bachelor domestic extended doubtful as concerns at. Morning prudent removal an letters by. On could my in order never it. Or excited certain sixteen it to parties colonel. Depending conveying direction has led immediate. Law gate her well bed life feet seen rent. On nature or no except it sussex.
  
  Of on affixed civilly moments promise explain fertile in. Assurance advantage belonging happiness departure so of. Now improving and one sincerity intention allowance commanded not. Oh an am frankness be necessary earnestly advantage estimable extensive. Five he wife gone ye. Mrs suffering sportsmen earnestly any. In am do giving to afford parish settle easily garret.
  
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doctorn@r.nf ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
That’s bit, a letter or character is a byte (8 bits), this is about right for pure text files that have no overhead, any extra info (like font, size, type, anything except which chatacter…) Is extra bytes, of course.

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- jaybone@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  If we’re only talking 26 letters no caps, we can cut that down to 5 bits. Then use a decent compression algorithm. Someone more bored than I am can do the math.
  
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  - Masimatutu@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    five bits would only leaves us with six punctuation marks (including spaces, and we don’t get any numerals either) though, do you think that’s enough? i certainly don’t; i have not even used spaces and I have already exceeded it!
    
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Valmond@lemmy.mindoki.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Smart compression!

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