Inputs from comp.lang.python.

I asked for help on comp.lang.python with the implementation of the 8 bit codec that I introduced in the previous posting.

The question triggered a very helpful discussion that made me change the proposed encoding algorithm.

Part of the discussion covered the question why I would want to use such an obscure algorithm.

There are many algorithms available, each with their own merits.

The answer is that I am looking for the algorithm that requires the minimal number of bits to encode arbitrary integer values.

None of the currently available algorithms does that.

Dave Angel showed me that the algorithm I proposed didn't either.

So I went back to the drawing board with the objective to find something better then the MIDI algorithm he used to show me.

This time I tested the new proposal more thoroughly myself.

It beats the MIDI encoding for every character size and it beats the the first proposal for character sizes larger then 2.

At character size 2 the two proposals do compete with each other, depending on the integer value.

For now I consider the new proposal to be my best option.

I will present it in the next posting and I hope that it may be improved with your help.