gfs@abvax.UUCP (Greg F. Shay) (12/11/87)
In response to an idea for image compression posted by Steve Schear: To my understanding of the 'chaotic compression' I believe the algorithm outlined by Steve is in principle the same idea used in the chaotic compression. Fractals can be formulated in many ways, the fractal forms used for chaotic compression are precisely the area-filling random sequences and seeds described by Mr. Schear. Numerical methods and algorithm theories steer clear of computational tasks that grow without bound (or at least with a high order of exponential growth). I submit that finding an algorithm to choose the desired random sequence to represent sets of pixels is the whole problem, and a difficult one at that. The theory of chaotic systems referenced by the developers of the 'chaotic compression' algorithm probably was the whole key to making a workable algorithm. Fractals have a basis in mathematics, and as such, probably have many useful general behavioral properties that can be used to generate algorithms to beat the computational explosion of the raw 'shotgun' randomly- chosen approach. Greg Shay Allen Bradley Co. Cleveland, Ohio