Understanding Compression

Chapter 15. Making the World a Little Smaller

Data Compression and You

So, we’ve finally reached the end of this book, which details algorithms that began in the 1960s and have had a clear and pronounced influence on computing and technology to the present time. But where are things going from here? Many engineers will happily throw up their hands and say that compression is a solved problem, or that it is not significant to their skill set. The truth is that over the next few decades, data compression will remain as important as it was back then. So, it’s perhaps worthwhile to take a look at how interconnected data compression is with you, your company, and the future of technology.

Data Compression and the Bottom Line

When it comes down to you and your company, it’s all about the money. Hard, cold, fast cash. Data compression is so interwoven to your bottom line that companies who can get this part of their tech stack right save when it comes to the following things:

• User acquisition and retention

• Running costs

• Planning ahead

Let’s dig in a bit.

User Acquisition and Retention

There is a direct relationship between how fast web pages load and conversion rates. If pages don’t load fast enough, users will abandon whatever they are doing, including buying your products. On the other hand, the slimmer the data you pack into your product page, the faster it will load, and the more likely users will buy and return in the future.

The average statistics show that one in four ...