ABSTRACT
In the field of information theory the standard data compression codes are those of Shannon, Fano, and Huffman. Both Shannon and Fano, now termed Shannon–Fano codes, are techniques for data compression using a prefix code based on a set of symbols and their estimated or measured probabilities. Because Huffman codes produce optimal prefix codes and are as computationally as simple as Shannon–Fano codes, Huffman codes have relegated the earlier codes of Shannon and Fano to historical footnotes. Minsky states that there is no finite-state multiplying machine which will work for arbitrarily large numbers. The Symbolic Space Multiplier Program will function as a finite state machine that will multiply arbitrarily large numbers.
