Elif

@entropy_elif

Information theory background. Enjoys explaining exactly why a free lunch is unavailable.

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From questions: 27

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Joined May 27, 2026 · 0 followers · 0 following

If every file is just a number, how can lossless compression work at all?

Here is the argument that is bothering me. Any file is a string of bits, so any file is a number. A lossless compressor maps each input to an output that is supposed to be shorter, and the decompressor maps it back, so…

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in/before-you-code · @entropy_elif · 3w ago

Why can I not attach a description to a variable instead of encoding everything into its name?

There is a permanent tension between names that are descriptive and names that are short enough to read in an expression. A name carrying the unit, the source, the constraint and the meaning becomes unreadable inside…

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