When you keep making copies of copies of the same file on your PC, does the file slowly get worse?

Answer 1

Actually, I know that contrary to popular opinion, this does happen with jpeg files, for example... http://www.photographyboard.net/forums/all-about-everything/15580-jpeg-questions-loss-in-quality-when-saving.html

It all depends on what type of compression is used for the file. Ideally this shouldn't happen with digital technology. But if the file is compressed, it can happen, depending on the codec it is compressed with. Usually text or numeric data is compressed using lossless formats, while pictures, video and sound are often compressed using lossy formats.

In simple terms, if a file is de-compressed (eg say you open a picture) and then compressed again (lets say you save it again as jpeg) using a lossy format such as jpeg, mp3 etc, then every time the file is compressed again some of the data is lost. (Eg, when you compress a song using the mp3 codec, some of the quality is lost. That's why there are such things as the flac: 'free lossless audio codec', an open source codec that compresses audio files without losing any data, or TIFF and PSD, both lossless picture formats). Even cutting and pasting something encoded in a lossy format will cause the quality to degrade, and the original (which is higher quality) to be deleted. For example, when you copy/cut a jpeg file, windows actually decodes it, and encodes it as .bmp (bitmap, another picture format), and then re-encodes it as jpeg when you paste the picture. In that process, quality is lost.

Note that it will only get worse and worse if you make a copy of the copy and so on, not just if you keep making copies of the original file and pasting these copies somewhere. In the latter case the quality loss would only occur once.

There's a small but good wikipedia article on lossy compresion and what formats are lossy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lossy_data_compression

And here's another one from howstuffworks: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/file-compression3.htm

(wow, I can't believe that none of the other answerers have ever heard about this)

ADDED: errr, why did someone give me a thumbs down??! Clearly I am just stating the facts, just use google and you'll see for yourself that I am right...

Or go to any of these reputable websites' articles:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/experiences/glossary.mspx (go to entry for compression, lossless compression and lossy compression)
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa364219.aspx
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/l/lossy.htm
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,127057/article.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,125593/article.html
http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,,t=data+compression&i=40759,00.asp
http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,,t=lossy+compression&i=46335,00.asp
http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=lossycompression
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/jpeg-faq/part1/
http://searchsmb.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid44_gci214453,00.html
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/l/lossy_compression.html

ADDED TO CLARIFY: The original file stays the same quality, but the copy and subsequent copies of the copy get worse and worse. This means if you oversave the original after say editing it (to take out red eyes for example), then the resulting picture's quality is slightly reduced. You would have to repeat this a few times until you'd notice the difference though. It DOESN'T mean that if you copy an mp3 file for a friend, then the original will have reduced quality. Only the copy you made for your friend will.

Wow, what a long answer =)

Answer 2

There are a couple of possible choices to utilising bodily peripheral. If the computer systems are on a community in combination, you would established a procedure for sharing documents wherein there's a folder that holds documents that each computer systems can see. Of direction, that is beautiful elaborate to established, and I have simplest been competent to set it up by way of trial and blunder. But for an simpler manner: you would compose an electronic mail and ship the graphics as attachments. Send the email to your self. Then, open the e-mail from the opposite laptop. To reply your query approximately the writability of the CD: if this can be a CD-R, the distance that's used up by way of you are graphics at the CD will without end be crammed. You can "erase" the CD, however that simplest makes the documents beforehand on it invisible: the distance continues to be complete. You're moment query relating to "making a knowledge disc or drag and drop": you ought to specify what application you're utilising to burn the CD. If you're suggesting practical Drag and Drop to the D force, it MAY be viable, however there are simpler methods. For illustration, I use Nero to make my knowledge discs (sure, you'll be able to have ot make a knowledge disc). Hope I helped somewhat.

Answer 3

Well that all depends on you. If you make a copy of a story you have been writing, then you change that copy all around, then make a copy of that, and make that one even worse, then yes you will have a mangled file of a story.

Answer 4

You can make as many copies as you want. The only thing that could deteriorate your file is a disk going bad.

Answer 5

Lol...

that's an analogue idea in a digital world :)

Simple answer : NO...

The only thing that could "change" the contents of a file, could be memory read/write errors, or problems with your harddrive...

Make as much copies if you want ....

Answer 6

Nope. It is just 0's and 1's. They copy and stay the same....you don't lose any of the play back like you would on a VHS machine.

Answer 7

No, the copy will be exactly the same as the original every time.

Answer 8

No definitely NOT. For the pc its just an image nothing more!

Answer 9

The answers is no
it only go bad if the disk is damaged

Answer 10

No way Hosea~~