Re: [IRCA] Posting DX Audio Clips

["W. Curt Deegan" <WWWR@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Steve,

Email clients and servers only handle character data which is 6 bits.  
Binary data is 8 bits.  To send binary data files the 8 bit data is 
broken down into groups of 6 bit data which looks like characters, then 
converted back when received, to the original 8 bits.  This grouping 
introduces extra bits as filler, so to speak, so the file size increases 
as a result of accommodating the lower bit count characters.  All this 
translates to: the larger the file the larger the increase in attachment 
size and ultimately, the slower the transmission.

This all dates back decades to when about all that was being sent 
electronically were characters on teletypes, and the need for more than 
just the alphabet and a few other characters was yet unanticipated.  
Unfortunately, email was designed along the same concept.  The need to 
send binary attachments was an afterthought, which explains the 
inefficiencies of the design to do so.

With FTP (File Transmission Protocol), the protocol was designed for 
binary data, so there is no similar ballooning of file size upon 
transmission.

I'm posting this reply to the IRCA list since this same question has 
come up recently and others may be asking it.  I trust it is not too far 
off topic.

Curt

W. Curt Deegan
Boca Raton, (Southeast) Florida


Steve Ratzlaff wrote:

> Hi Curt,
> I've noticed this as well, that an attachment can be considerably 
> larger when it's finally sent than the original by itself. And the 
> larger the file, the larger the extra amount that gets added. Do you 
> know what that is? I've never figured it out, nor have I found anyone 
> yet who can say why it is.
> Steve
>
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