Book excerpt: Fundamental Data Compression provides all the information students need to be able to use this essential technology in their future careers. A huge, active research field, and a part of many people's everyday lives, compression technology is an essential part of today's Computer Science and Electronic Engineering courses. With the help of this book, students can gain a thorough understanding of the underlying theory and algorithms, as well as specific techniques used in a range of scenarios, including the application of compression techniques to text, still images, video and audio. Practical exercises, projects and exam questions reinforce learning, along with suggestions for further reading.* Dedicated data compression textbook for use on undergraduate courses* Provides essential knowledge for today's web/multimedia applications* Accessible, well structured text backed up by extensive exercises and sample exam questions