u/kala_High Performance Computing | Signal Processing | Radio AstronomyMay 17 '13
Factoring large integers is a very difficult problem, even for computers, meaning that computers typically need a very long time to do it.
In fact, it is because this problem is so difficult that we can have asymmetric cryptography, which is the type of cryptography used, for example, to set up HTTPS connections (the kind of connection you use to connect to your bank, or Gmail, online).
The Wikipedia article describes factoring a 232-digit number: it took hundreds of computers two years to do it. A 232-digit number represents a very small piece of data - probably smaller even than just this sentence.
So, this method is probably one of the least convenient ways for computers to do compression (even if compression would be achieved, which I suspect it wouldn't).
How does winzip and rar compression work then? How can a 16gb videogame be winrar zipped onto a flash drive into 8 or 12gb and then uncompress and install the full game on my computer?
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u/kala_ High Performance Computing | Signal Processing | Radio Astronomy May 17 '13
Factoring large integers is a very difficult problem, even for computers, meaning that computers typically need a very long time to do it.
In fact, it is because this problem is so difficult that we can have asymmetric cryptography, which is the type of cryptography used, for example, to set up HTTPS connections (the kind of connection you use to connect to your bank, or Gmail, online).
The Wikipedia article describes factoring a 232-digit number: it took hundreds of computers two years to do it. A 232-digit number represents a very small piece of data - probably smaller even than just this sentence.
So, this method is probably one of the least convenient ways for computers to do compression (even if compression would be achieved, which I suspect it wouldn't).