Slashdot reader Kris_J writes “The makers of the (classic) compression package Stuffit have written a program that can compress JPGs by roughly 30%.
This isn’t the raw image to JPG compression, this is lossless compression applied to the JPG file. Typical compression rates for JPGs are 2% to -1%. If you read the whitepaper (PDF), they are even proposing a new image format; StuffIt Image Format (SIF). Now I just need someone to write a SIF compressor for my old Kodak DC260.”

Slashdot | Breakthrough In JPEG Compression

Wired has a published an article about the inner dynamics of software piracy networks.

Wired 13.01: The Shadow Internet

Slashdotted Joseph Gelinas writes “Speaking out for the first time on life after AOL/Nullsoft, Winamp creator Justin Frankel sat down with BetaNews to discuss his new endeavors. Starting a new company called Cockos,
Frankel is leaving behind the mass market for his musical roots, but hints at revolutionary — and presumably controversial — things to come.”

Slashdot | Justin Frankel Reveals Life After Winamp

An anonymous slashdot reader writes “Exeem is a new file-sharing application being developed by the folks at SuprNova.org. Exeem is a decentralized BitTorrent network that basically makes everyone a Tracker. Individuals will share Torrents, and seed shared files to the network. At this time, details and the full potential of this project are being kept very quiet. However it appears this P2P application will completely replace SuprNova.org; no more web mirrors, no more bottle necks and no more slow downs. Exeem will marry the best features of a decentralized network, the easy searchability of an indexing server and the swarming powers of the BitTorrent network into one program. Currently, the network is in beta testing and already has 5,000 users (the beta testing is closed.) Once this program goes public, its potential is enormous.”

Slashdot | Decentralizing Bittorrent

julie-h @ slashdot writes “DVD Jon has done it again.
This time it wasn’t Apple the target, but Microsoft’s WMV9 video format. There is as always a working Proof of Concept program with screenshots.”

Slashdot | Jon Bringing WMV9 to Linux