Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!mintaka!spdcc!spt!gz
From: gz@spt.entity.com (Gail Zacharias)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: StuffIt Deluxe file format
Message-ID: <5385@spt.entity.com>
Date: 5 Sep 90 17:33:06 GMT
Organization: Hacks 'R' Us, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 13

Stuffit 1.5 uses 14-bit LZW compression.  A rule of thumb about LZW is
that each additional bit gives you about a 10% decrease in size.  I'll
bet that Stuffit Deluxe just uses 16-bit LZW compression.  So much for
great leaps forward in compression technology.

I have an MPW tool that does 16-bit LZW.  I don't do user interfaces
though.  If somebody wants to do a stand-alone user interface, you're
free to use my compression code.  You can sell it, shareware it, or
give it away, I don't care, as long as you make the format public.

--
gz@entity.com					...!mit-eddie!spt!gz
	 Now let's all repeat the non-conformist oath.