08.04.1993
								(00.42.h)
*******************************************************************************
************************	FAST 3/4 Doc-File	***********************
*******************************************************************************

				    Hi folks!

You just entered the FAST docfile ( who would have thought THAT?? ).

You`ll be given some all-round information here-you won`t need more
to use FAST!

1: What in hell is FAST ??

> FAST is a rather fast ( ... ) cruncher, based on the Run-Lenght algorithm.
  It has been optimzed in speed and gain and is now very good usable with
  raw-pictures or as a pre-cruncher ( more later ).
  Some information how it works come later, too.

2: Who should use FAST and for what ??

>  1. Just people who code and
   2. Just people who code without system (hehe)

   FAST is, as said, just a cruncher for pics. ( or similar data )
   It should ( can...) be used in intros or demos for fast pic decrunching. 
   It`s gain is not as good as PowerPacker`s is

		( 5 Planes LowRes Pic 51200: PP 5976 ; FAST(4) 7187 )

   but it`s much faster AND ( that`s the big and ) if you use FAST FIRST
   and THEN PowerPacker ( or something else ), too, you`ll get mostly better
   results as without FAST and you have just a little bit more decrunch-time.
   OK, you`ll say now that`s too much work for some bytes, but try it...

   ( 5 Planes LowRes Pic 51200: PP 5976 ; FAST 7187 ; FAST(4) and PP 3748!! )

   Did you see this? It`s worth, believe me!

3: How works FAST ??

>  FAST is based on the Run-Lenght algorithm. That means it searches the
   less often used byte ( LOU-byte ) in the file to crunch.
    Then there`re diffrences between FAST3 and FAST4:

     FAST3 crunches up to 3 equal bytes ( example: ...$00 $00 $00... After
     crunching $LOU $00 <- crunched byte, three times. ) With more than
     3 Bytes: ex. ...$00 $00 $00 $00 $00... $LOU $LOU $05 $00.
							  ^
						      ^  crunched bytes are $00
     					             5 Bytes crunched
     FAST4 stars up to 4 equal bytes: ex. ...$00 $00 $00 $00 $00... ->
     $LOU $05 $00 -- that`s one byte ( $LOU ) less that FAST3, but FAST4
     doesn`t crunch 3 equal bytes.

   You`ll have to try out which algoritm has the greater gain with your
   file to be crunched. FAST3 is sometimes able to crunch code, too.
   But if you`re only crunching pictures with much space left, use FAST4.


     There`re some more tricks ( if there`re more than $ff equal bytes and if
     one and two or three or four and more ( nice, yep ) LOUs are found in
     file to crunch...) - but we won`t tell you too much...


4: How may I decrunch FASTed files ??

>  No problem, you may install an assembler-sourcecode after crunching.
   It should work with all assemblers ( in other case look in the source.. ).
   Be careful, the absolute adresses are higher CHIP-ram ( 1MEG ).
   I have to use that or my HD will get in trouble ( Hi Mendrik: Oh, shit,
   schon wieder der org... ). Change it like you need ( $50000 or s.th. like
   that ) -- Why do I tell that to you? If you`ve read `till here you`ll
   be able to modify to variables in the source...sorry!

5: Will FAST stay so unconfortable ??

>  Yep, sorry for that, but I have really ( yes, REALLY ) no time to make
   an user-comfortable version ( coding the next Incal-Demo, hehe ), but
   wait - better versions will come!

 At last, some remarks:

 -Please spread FAST as fast as possible (hoho) - no, but spread it everywhere,
  to the whole world, to the whole universe, to ... ( Oops,sorry.Forgive me )

 -Please spread it with all files !
  ( FAST3, 3296 Bytes PowerPacked, unpacked 5248 Bytes
    FAST4, 3280 Bytes PowerPacked, unpacked 5156 Bytes
    FAST.doc )

 - WARNING: If you`ve crunched a file with FAST4 and you use the FAST3-decr.
		    ( or FAST3 crunched and FAST4-decruncher )
	you`ll have a visit by the allmighty guru! Always remember that!

Sorry - no contact adress here! Look and you`ll find someday an addy...

					Synthetic/The Incal Incorporation