The publication of The Mathematical Theory of Communication stands as one of the defining moments in the history of information theory, and not only on account of its commercial success. Even the title sent an important message: in the span of a year, Shannon’s original “A Mathematical Theory of Communication” had become the definitive “The Mathematical Theory of Communication.” As electrical engineer and information theorist Robert Gallager pointed out, the subtle change in the article’s context, from one of several articles in a technical journal to centerpiece of a book, was a mark of
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