darrenyeats;693664 Wrote: > It's easy for us computer folk to think everyone should understand this > when they don't. > > A file on a computer, as Phil stated, is just numbers. This is the case > whether the file is a spreadsheet, an audio file or a picture. > > Copying a file creates an exact copy. So you have another file with the > same list of numbers. > > Of course, whether the file is stored on disk, cached wholly or partly > in memory etc creates a unique machine state. This might affect what > happens when an audio file is played. However, predicting a particular > state - much less predicting whether this state makes a difference, > even less predicting whether a difference would be "good" or "bad" - is > a fool's errand. Honestly, it's like discussing what time of day less > cosmic rays might occur. It's a dynamic layered system. > > But quite distinct from the physical machine state, the file contents > are inviolate. Like the list of integer numbers "20, 3, 7"...you can > write them down on different pieces of paper, use different pens, use > crosses > on the wall, it doesn't matter. The list is the list. It doesn't > matter who generated the list or how. > > This is why the ripper doesn't matter per se. Copying files doesn't > matter per se. Converting lossless formats doesn't matter per se. > > No one is saying all bits of paper are physically the same, or all pen > inks are the same, or all marks carved into walls are the same. So yes > a copy needs a new arrangement of atoms in the universe...of course. > But was IS being said is the numbers stay the same, and they don't > degrade in the slightest when their representation changes. > > Being clear in your mind about this distinction is key to understanding > IT. Computers were quite an invention... > Darren > > Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk
+1 nice summary . so we are a bit vague saying bits are bits, data is data would be more proper , maybe it is not clear to non it interested folks that there is no music in a music file it is information about the music, it is as you say just a list of numbers, they media can change and interact in the background but still the same numbers -- Mnyb -------------------------------------------------------------------- Main hifi: Touch + CIA PS +MeridianG68J MeridianHD621 MeridianG98DH 2 x MeridianDSP5200 MeridianDSP5200HC 2 xMeridianDSP3100 +Rel Stadium 3 sub. Bedroom/Office: Boom Kitchen: Touch + powered Fostex PM0.4 Misc use: Radio (with battery) iPad 64gB wifi +3g with iPengHD & SqueezePad (in storage SB3, reciever ,controller ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mnyb's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=4143 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=93549 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
