ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Run Length Limited

Okay kiddo, have you ever seen a really long movie before? It can be really fun to watch a long movie, but sometimes it can also be kind of boring if nothing exciting happens for a while.

Well, when it comes to computer files, some people don't want them to be too long or too boring. They want them to be just the right length, with exciting information packed into every second.

That's what "run length limited" means. It's a way of making sure that a computer file doesn't have too many boring or repetitive parts. It's like the file is on a diet - it has to be lean and efficient!

When people use run length limited compression, they're trying to make files smaller without losing any important information. It's kind of like packing all of your toys into a small suitcase when you go on vacation. You don't want to leave anything behind, but you also don't want to carry around a bunch of heavy bags.

So, in computer terms, run length limited compression looks at the data in a file and tries to find patterns. If it sees that the same piece of information is repeated over and over again, it can just write down "repeat this x number of times" instead of typing out the same thing again and again. This saves space in the file and makes it easier to store and send over the internet.

In the end, run length limited compression helps to make computer files faster and more efficient. It's like a little helper that makes sure everything runs smoothly!