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Bug#531079: RFS: ecm -- prepares CD image files so they compress better



Hi Loïc,

> I am looking for a sponsor for my package "ecm"
> 
> * Package name    : ecm
>   Version         : 1.00
>   Upstream Author :  Neill Corlett <neill@neillcorlet.com>
> * URL             : http://www.neillcorlett.com/ecm/
> * License         : GPL2+
>   Programming Lang: C
>   Description     : prepares CD image files so they compress better

I had a quick look at your package and did not find a problem, though I
would have to give it a closer look before upload.

Unfortunately, ecm seems to have a problem with files larger than 2 or 4
GB (I tried the 1st Debian Lenny DVD). I ended up with a file of size
381 MB :-((. I'm aware that ecm does not claim to handle DVD images, but
it also does not refuse to handle them. I consider this a grave bug
(data loss).

I did another test with the first Debian Etch CD. ecm reduced the size
of the image by 0.03%. Compressing the original ISO and the ecm-prepared
version with bzip2 gave a 0.097% advantage for the ecm-prepared version.
Do you have any number where ecm shows a reasonable gain?

Don't most CDs/DVDs contain data (software, music, video) that is
already compressed in one way or another? Therefore I would guess that
removing some very small amount of hard-to-compress data doesn't improve
the overall situation.

For these reasons I'm currently inclined not to sponsor this package.
Also, ecm-prepared/compressed images don't seem to be widespread as far
as I can say (and the software is 7 years old).

Joachim




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