Compression works behind the scenes to make many of the products we use possible. The images and multimedia that make the Web so compelling use compression for fast delivery. MP3 players deliver compressed audio for music on the go. Modems use compression to speed transmission. Digital cameras use JPEG compression. Set-top boxes, HDTV, and DVD players use MPEG video compression. Operating systems use compression to save space. Even spies use compression and encryption to send missives to the homeland. But some forms of compression, mainly text, are underutilized yet quite effective on the Web.