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Re: [OM] Decimate?

Subject: Re: [OM] Decimate?
From: Christopher Biggs <chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 22 Jan 1999 07:59:11 +1000
Patrick Greenlee <patrickg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> moved upon the face of the 'Net and 
spake thusly:

> > JPEG works by
> >
> >     1.  Convert to YUV colourspace
> >     2.  decimate the colour resolution to half the luminance
> >             resolution
> >     3.  consider
> 
> I never cease to be amazed at the various uses of decimate.  When something
> is completely destroyed, reporters say it was decimated (big words make
> them seem important).  Now we "decimate the color resolution to
> half"?

In signal processing "decimate" has been appropriated as official
techspeak for "selectively reduce the resolution of a spatial sample".

I was quoting the term from its usage in various compression texts.
(I taught a seminar on JPEG way back in my uni days).

> NOTE:  Decimation was a Roman punishment.  Line up all the men of a
> village

Zigackly, the term is sort of accurate in its sense of "shoot every
Nth villager"... it's just that N!=10 in this case.

As a hardcore SI user (I've purged myself of the ability to think in
feet and inches), I know what deci- really means.

You should see the uses to which the Australian TV newspeople put this
poor maligned word.

(Aside: TV is definitely a "medium": It's neither rare nor well-done).

(Second aside: (this has been bugging me) who's responsible for the
famous quote about liking to execute a general from time to time "pour
encourages les autres" (to encourage the others) ?)
        
> Topic 2.  Someone recently was discussing the OM-1 and OM-2 meter
> weighting.  No, not that discusion, the serious one!  Can someone with
> actual knowledge (not to stifle comment) describe the shape/pattern
> whatever of the metering/averaging/whatevering?

That was me (bought on by me recent acquisition of an OM-2n)... never
did get a straight answer (not having a manual for my 2n helps, too
(yes, I know I should call Gunz and get one (aren't parentheses fun
(as a LISPer I tend to go overboard)))).  

Sorry, that was silly. :-)

cjb.

--
 Christopher J Biggs \ chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx \ Vice-Pope torture and marketing
 Stallion Technologies\ Brisbane,  Australia \   Holy Church of Givashitology
 nordfordfnrdfnodfnorfnordnordfordfnrdfnodfnorfnordnordfordfnrdfnodfnorfnordn

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