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==The difference between arithmetic and range encoding does not exist==
It is simpler than anyone may think. Arithmetic encoding reduce interval [0,1) to a shorter one and allow to pick any value from this interval. Because the value is optional and it is fraction the shortest one is picked up. The range encoder reduce interval [0,n^n) to shorter one and allow to pick any number. Since the number is optional, but it is integer the one that has longest tail of zero bits is taken. (Here n^n is size of the message raised to the power of the size of message). The details can be found in article “Anatomy of Range Encoder”. Google the name and find it. The authors of arithmetic encoders like to claim that they compute the fraction, but when you look at the code you can see that it is not a fraction, it is integer or numerator of this fraction, so while saying that they write arithmetic encoder they actually write range encoder. So, the difference does not exist. Arithmetic encoder got its name because only arithmetic operations involved into encoding and decoding (multiplication, addition, division, subtraction), so range encoder qualifies. The founder of range encoder G.N.N.Martin named known to that moment arithmetic encoder as range encoder emphasizing the idea of algorithm. The story how range encoder acquired its name is very simple it is same as American Natives are called Indians - a little mess.
== Next topic ==
I've rewritten what was here to be grammatically correct English. Later I hope to go back and edit, to put in detail on actual range encoding, and remove the claim added by Suns which seems (as far as I can tell) to be based solely on one particular implementation of range encoding, not on range encoding itself. (Why is arithmetic coding on the page [[arithmetic encoding]], Huffman coding on the page [[Huffman encoding]], but range encoding on the page [[Range encoder]]?)
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