From: scott_cohan@my-deja.com
Subject: Re: Information Theory Question
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 20:32:47 GMT
Newsgroups: sci.math
Keywords: What is Information Theory?

In article <7sjssg$oka$1@nnrp1.deja.com>,
  Ned <njlawrence@my-deja.com> wrote:
> I was wondering if anyone could tell me breifly what information theory
> exactly is or direct me to some links that might help me learn the
> basics.
>
> Thanks,
> Ned
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.
>

Briefly:

Information is the study of the transmission of information over a
communications channel. The theory originated with Claude Shannon who
wrote the original paper outlining the theory. It is a mathematical
treatment of the amount of information that can be transmitted across a
channel based on capacity, noise, and other factors.

The best lay text intro is Symbols, Signals, and Noise by J.R.Pierce
should be in paperback at your nearest bookstore.

Have Fun,

Scott

--
"and all my friends turned out to be insurance salesmen" John Prine "Ill


Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
==============================================================================

From: Chris Hillman <hillman@math.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Information Theory Question
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 20:16:05 -0700
Newsgroups: sci.math

On Sun, 26 Sep 1999, Ned wrote:

> I was wondering if anyone could tell me breifly what information theory
> exactly is or direct me to some links that might help me learn the
> basics.

The original paper, Shannon 1948, is not only one of the great scientific
papers of all time, but remains remarkably fresh today and is still one of
the best introductions to the subject.  You can get from my entropy pages
(see url below). Next, try the textbook by Cover & Thomas.

Chris Hillman

Home Page: http://www.math.washington.edu/~hillman/personal.html