Compression of random binary data

[Marko Rauhamaa]

Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet at bsb.me.uk>:

>> In this context, "random data" really means "uniformly distributed
>> data", i.e. any bit sequence is equally likely to be presented as
>> input. *That's* what information theory says can't be compressed.
>
> But that has to be about the process that gives rise to the data, not
> the data themselves.  No finite collection of bits has the property you
> describe.

Correct. Randomness is meaningful only in reference to future events.
Once the events take place, they cease to be random.

A finite, randomly generated collection of bits can be tested against a
probabilistic hypothesis using statistical methods.


Marko