3 ms·

OP is about as good as any explanation I've seen.

• XorNot 5y ago
  "Compressibility" (in the software sense) would perhaps carry the most meaning. Entropy is ultimately all about the ability to extract information (i.e. work) out of a system.
  • shannifin 5y ago
    Indeed, it was actually James Gleick's book The Information that helped me understand the concept better.
  • andrewflnr 5y ago
    "Compressibility" is really not that great an illustration for physical entropy. Information-theoretic entropy is not quite the same thing as physical entropy, but close enough to confuse you if you're not paying attention.
    • XorNot 5y ago
      I'm going to need an example on the differences, because in so far as statistical entropy is entropy - it's ultimately describing an information function (and the lean in quantum mechanics these days is that information is describing physical properties as well - hence holography and the blackhole information paradox). The heat-deathed universe for example would be the ultimate compressible information: 1 measurable state, across all space, for the rest of infinite time.