File compression question

Question about using the file compression feature within Finder. I understand that when I select multiple files and compress them, it creates a ZIP file with the default name 'archive.zip.' I created a working folder on my desktop and put in about 16 alias of photos that are down in my iPhoto 'originals' folder. When I created the archive.zip, file it was only 2.1 MB (the jpg's varied in size from <1 MB to 3 MB).
I did this with the presumption that by using aliases in my working folder, the compression utility actually compressed the jpg's in the various folders but not the alias pointers.
So, since the archive.zip is only 2.1 MB, what conclusion can I draw? Can the compression really squeeze them down that much?

Dr. Livingstone wrote:
Question about using the file compression feature within Finder. I understand that when I select multiple files and compress them, it creates a ZIP file with the default name 'archive.zip.' I created a working folder on my desktop and put in about 16 alias of photos that are down in my iPhoto 'originals' folder. When I created the archive.zip, file it was only 2.1 MB (the jpg's varied in size from <1 MB to 3 MB).
I did this with the presumption that by using aliases in my working folder, the compression utility actually compressed the jpg's in the various folders but not the alias pointers.</div>
that's wrong. the compression utility compressed the aliases as it should have. if you want to compress the original images that's what you need to put in that folder, not aliases. but keep in mind that jpegs are already compressed so you'll hardly gain any space by compressing them further.
So, since the archive.zip is only 2.1 MB, what conclusion can I draw? Can the compression really squeeze them down that much?

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