The problem with compression is that it screws up random access. I probably shouldn't even have mentioned it.

Uncompressed, you can read the 28-bytes associated with any given "pixel" in the twinkling of an eye. If you have to read and decompress--even in memory--the entire file to get at each pixel, it isn't going to help performance. And the OP says he is unconcerned with space.

Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
RIP an inspiration; A true Folk's Guy

In reply to Re^5: Strategy for managing a very large database with Perl (Video) by BrowserUk
in thread Strategy for managing a very large database with Perl by punkish

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