October 2002 - Fractint - mailman.xmission.com

Re: [Fractint] Re: Fractint "deadware"? NO!
by Jim Muth 05 Nov '02

05 Nov '02

At 12:35 PM 10/28/02 +0100, Ralph Feltens wrote: <much snipped> >So, Jim Muth, here is your possibility [by using >U.F.] to do deepzoom dives - arbitrary precision >math - into your MandelbrotMix formulas). As I wrote in a recent message, I have U.F. on another computer, and I already use it to do deep dives into some FOTD images. In fact, I have several other fractal generating programs on my computers, though I most often use Fractint, (and to a lesser degree, U.F.). Your letter makes a fine commercial promotion for U.F. Are you trying to lure more Fractinters into the U.F. fold? Most on this list are already aware of the capability of U.F., and many already have it on their computers. As for myself, I have found that Fractint best matches my short-burst- of-activity style of fractaling. And let's be realistic. Those who use U.F. are more likely to see fractals as a means of artistic expression, (There is nothing wrong with this -- fractals are indeed a great new means of artistic expression.), while those who use Fractint are more likely to see fractals as abstract mathematical objects made visible. Since I am more interested in the mathematical aspect, though I subscribe to both mailing lists, I find myself more at home using Fractint and discussing fractals on the Fractint list. Jim M.

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Re: [Fractint] Re: Fractint and Windows XP
by BillatNY＠aol.com 02 Nov '02

02 Nov '02

In a message dated 10/24/2002 12:59:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time, tgparker(a)worldnet.att.net writes: > Here's a possible "tweak" that might help Fractint in WXP. > > There's a very interesting setting that I found on my Win95/98 Fractint Dos > Box "Properties" window. Right click your Fractint Dos Box, click > Properties >Program (tab) >Advanced (radial button). Check out all the > different Dos Modes and configurations that you can set your Dos box to. I > partuclarily like the "Prevent MS-DOS-based programs from detecting > Windows". There are also other specific custom DOS configurations that can > also be set. > > Hmmmm methinks this is the area to really look into...... > > All the best, > > Tony > Tony, Thanks for the tip. There is no exact equivalent for that selection in XP though. I also found an article in PC Magazine that explains how every application can have its own autoexec and config.sys files. I haven't yet found what to put in them to solve the problem, but I'm still playing. In the meantime, I can continue to boot to DOS. I also want to say that I completely agree with your clear statement of the open-source program issues. I'm one of the folks who'd be willing to pay for Fractint. I fully understand and respect Tim's position on this, though. And, as Tim points out, a 13year life-cycle (and still counting!) is an incredible run in any case. Bill

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State of the Fractint program
by Tim Wegner 31 Oct '02

31 Oct '02

Thought I'd clear up a few points. 1. Fractint has always been and will always be open source. This isn't just due to my opinion, it's because everyone who has ever contributed to it has done so with the understanding that it WAS open source. However, as far as my opinion is concerned, I am very happy it is open source, and if I could, I'd change the license over to GPL or a similar license. Easier said than done because we can no longer reach most code contributors. This license change could still happen, but it would be in conjunction with an extensive rewrite. 2. Thanks for all the kind offers of being willing to pay for upgrades. Money is not and never has been an issue. Developers contribute for their own reasons. 3. Right now Jonathan Osuch and occasional other contributers are the only ones maintaining the program. His interest (and my interest) are gravitating to Linux, but we are used to maintaining the Linux version in parallel to the DOS version so we do it. I have never lost interest. It's just that I have a job and a real life and am getting older. I still dream of diving back in. I might, or I might not, we'll see. 4. I don't think the present situation with Fractint is bad or sad. It's the way life is. Software, like people, have a life cycle. I am very pleased that this list is still active and many folks still get pleasure out of Fractint. I suspect Fractint will continue to have a following. It is even possible that it will have a rebirth on other platforms. Whether it fades away or has a rebirth remains to be seen. Either way, I'm happy. Change is the name of the game, especially in technology. Fractint assumed something like it's present form in 1989, which makes it about 13 years old, so in people years that's about a millenium. Not bad!! :-)

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FOTD 31-10-02 (Surreal Reflection [?])
by Jim Muth 31 Oct '02

31 Oct '02

FOTD -- October 31, 2002 (Rating ?) Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: It's Halloween day here at Fractal Central, the day when we pretend that ghosts and ghoulies are real and hope that they are not. In recognition of the day, I have found a fractal so different from my usual unending string of midgets that I can't rate it. The situation is downright spooky. The generating expression combines some Z^(-7.7) with ten times as much Z^(-0.77), then adds (1/C). With an escape radius of one-googol, the resulting image is a blank black screen consisting totally of trapped inside points. Anything that might have once been there has evaporated. But all hope is not yet lost, for the blackness is filled with invisible dynamics that can be made visible with the various inside fills. The <epscr> fill creates an impressive and intricate pattern, but for today's image I chose the <bof60> fill, which tends to draw circles and glowing auras around objects. The result of my efforts is a surreal image in which an indescribable object is suspended over a glassy surface, with the object's distorted reflection visible in the glassy surface. I named the image "Surreal Reflection" as a simple description of the scene. I leave the rating of the image to the viewer. Those who enjoy such pictures will rate it higher than a 5; those who do not will rate it lower. But all will agree that the render time of 54 minutes is excessive. This delay in seeing the image can be avoided by downloading the pre-rendered image from Paul's web site at: <http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/FotD/FotD.html> or from Scott's site at: <http://sdboyd.dyndns.org/~sdboyd/fotd/index.html> where the GIF image will soon be posted. The weather Wednesday was totally miserable, with clouds, a steady cold rain, and a chilling wind. Even if it had been dry outside, the temperature of 36F 2C was far too cold for the cats' delicate ears and whiskers. They passed the day indoors, watching raindrops trickle down the windows and asking for food. Today is still cloudy and cold, but at least it's dry. That's a small improvement. The far bigger improvement will come when the work is finished. But before I can finish, I must start, so until tomorrow, when the first FOTD of November will appear, take care, and pause to ponder the impossible. Jim Muth jamth(a)mindspring.com jimmuth(a)aol.com START 20.0 PAR-FORMULA FILE================================ Surreal_Reflection { ; time=0:54:37:18--SF5 on a P200 reset=2002 type=formula formulafile=allinone.frm formulaname=MandelbrotMix4 function=recip passes=1 center-mag=0.8965/0.11586/0.5226667/1/37.1/-1.2337\ 35336114705e-014 params=-0.4/-7.7/-4/-0.77/6/1e+100 float=y maxiter=1200 inside=bof60 periodicity=0 colors=000idCidCieCieCifCifCifCieBieBieAieAieAjfAk\ hAmjBnkBomCqoCrpDsrDtsDfU2fV3fV3gV4gV4gV4gV5hW5hW6\ hW6hW6iW7iW7iX7jX8jX8jX9jX9kX9kYAkYAkYBlYBlYBlZClZ\ CmZCmZDmZDnZEn_En_En_Fo_Fo_Go_Go`Gp`Hp`Hp`Ip`Iq`Iq\ aJqaJraJraKraKrbLsbLsbLsbMheRhdRgcRfcRfbReaRd`Rd_R\ c_RcZRbYRaXRaWR`WR_VR_URZTR_TQZSRZSRZSRZSSZSSZSSZS\ TZSTZSTZSTZSUYSUYSUYSVYSVYSVYSWYSWYSWYSWYSXYSXXSXX\ SYXSYXSYXSZXSZXSZXSZXS_XS_XS_XS`WS`WS`WSaWSaWSaWSa\ WSbWSbWSbWScWScVScVSdVSdVSdVSdVSeVSeVSeVSfVSfVSfVS\ gUSgUSgUSgUShUShUShUSiUSiUSiUSjUSjTSjTSjTSkTSkTSkT\ SlTSlTSlTSmTSmTSnUQqURpVRoSSoSSn5N65N64M64M63L63L6\ 2K62K62K64L75L86M97MA9NBANCBODCOEEPFFPGGQHHQIJRJKR\ KLSLMSMNTMPTNQUORUPSVQUVRVWSWWTXXUZXW_YY`Y_aZac`de\ cfgeiihjkjmmllnnWnnVnnVnnUnmUmmTmmTmmTmmSmlSmlRmlR\ mlQmlQlkPlkPlkOlkOlkNljNljMljMljMkjLkiLkiKkiKj_Cj`\ Cj`Cj`CjaCjaCibCibCicCicC } frm:MandelbrotMix4 {; Jim Muth a=real(p1), b=imag(p1), d=real(p2), f=imag(p2), g=1/f, h=1/d, j=1/(f-b), z=(-a*b*g*h)^j, k=real(p3)+1, l=imag(p3)+100, c=fn1(pixel): z=k*((a*(z^b))+(d*(z^f)))+c, |z| < l } END 20.0 PAR-FORMULA FILE==================================

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Re: [Fractint] Navigating & Cruising Dos With Fractint
by BillatNY＠aol.com 30 Oct '02

30 Oct '02

Tony, I found this page while surfing around. It's not clear whether it will view .gof files, but it says it has all the capabilities of Norton Commander plus more. <A HREF="http://www.ritlabs.com/dn/">http://www.ritlabs.com/dn/</A> I hope this helps. Bill Rossi

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FOTD 30-10-02 (An In-Depth Look [6])
by Jim Muth 30 Oct '02

30 Oct '02

FOTD -- October 30, 2002 (Rating 6) Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: Since yesterday's FOTD I have been pondering, (I ponder a lot). I have been pondering the multiple-worlds interpretation of Q.M. If taken literally, this theory implies that there are a near infinity of myselves in a near infinity of alternate universes, living every possible life I might have lived. At the same time, experience shows that I can be in only one place at a time. Can I trust experience? If so, who then are these other versions of myself? And how can they be different versions of myself? If they merely look like me, they are not me, they are my identical twins. Are they unconscious auto- matons? If so, I might be justified in claiming that everyone in this world but myself is an automaton, an unconscious reflection of someone who is conscious only in some remote alternate universe. And when, if ever, does an alternate version of myself stop being me? In a world where I merely blink one extra time, the other version is clearly myself. But what of the worlds where I am born a woman in Mongolia in the year 1347? How can that person be said to be me if I am not aware of her? What of the worlds where I am born a Neanderthal woman? And the worlds where I am born an ape or a bacteria, or a mud-skimmer on a planet in the Virgo cluster? Taken to the extreme, it appears I might end up living through every possible experience every possible conscious living thing could possibly experience. There would even be a world where I am one of the fractal cats, and the cat is me! (But, unless fractals are conscious, there is no world where I am a fractal.) Or is there? Maybe if I properly understood certain esoteric things such as coherence-decoherence and consistent histories, paradoxes such as the above would vanish, or at least become less puzzling. Alas, I am not among the anointed high priests of science, the initiated few to whom these mysteries are revealed by means of arcane mathematics. Today's fractal might not be aware of itself, but I am certainly aware of it. And it is no puzzle at all. The generating expression takes a bit of (1/Z), adds a tiny bit of Z^8 to it, and finally adds (1/C). The resulting fractal is a bulging Mandeloid rotated 180 degrees, with the period-5 buds being the largest. Today's scene is located on a side branch near the tip of the tiny main stem that extends out from the tiny period-2 bud. Most of the worth of the image lies in the fiery coloring. The underlying shapes are nothing spectacular. After an exhaustive study, I decided to rate the picture at a 6. I named it "An In-Depth Look" because of the time expended on the exhaustive study. In most cases, the render time of under one minute will be faster than the download of the completed GIF image file from: <http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/FotD/FotD.html> or from: <http://sdboyd.dyndns.org/~sdboyd/fotd/index.html> The decision is left to the individual fractalist. The weather here at Fractal Central on Tuesday was truly abysmal. A cold steady rain mixed with ice pellets, a temperature of 37F 3C and a biting northeast wind kept the dynamic cats housebound the entire day. Even a tuna treat failed to pull them totally out of their funks. And today is once again starting out abysmally. It will make no difference for my work, but the cats will have another bad day. Until tomorrow and the next FOTD, take care, and take it one fractal at a time. Jim Muth jamth(a)mindspring.com jimmuth(a)aol.com START 20.0 PAR-FORMULA FILE================================ An_In-Depth_Look { ; time=0:00:59.10--SF5 on a p200 reset=2002 type=formula formulafile=allinone.frm formulaname=MandelbrotMix4 function=recip inside=0 center-mag=-0.74231185074844860/+0.000001268805934\ 57/1.319056e+012 params=100/-1/0.01/8/-0.951/0 float=y maxiter=1200 logmap=45 periodicity=10 colors=000O50hRCX50dC0lK0sR0zY0zb0zi2zpCztMzzUzm`z\ jTzRKQUA_O0hJ0gK2gMAfOKfPSdR_dSfdSlkXhq`fvdczh`zlY\ znWzi_ydasZdkVhdPkXJnQEpSR`T`KUi2XffYezvCzuPztazsl\ ysvx07kHSiUhhfxgqzghvk_fnQPqH5tMHlQSdT`YXiQ_qJcz9f\ z0lsAsbKxhPzlTzpXzzoyykuvhptdlqahn_WiUHePMb_QaiU`t\ YZz`YzgSznOntHazCPz7A9dpAXlAPiAHgQMicRloUnzYpz`qzf\ pqmogtnWznKzl7zk0zkEznUzohzpvzqzOzzVxz`uxetskqlqog\ vnazkXzilzczzYzyTzzNpzHczCQz5Az00z04z0Cz0Kz4Tz7_zA\ fzEAXPEVSHUUKSXNRYQP`TOcUMdYU_``WcfSglMisHlyCoz7pz\ HqvPstWtpaulivipxevybzzezzhyzixzlvzmuzptzqsxzShz0F\ zuMtvSlvWdv`VvfMviCvdJy_PzTXzNazHfzAlzSXpfEXt5AhE9\ XV7Mi57x40z40z70zA0zE0zH0yK0vN0tQ0qTCnMPmF_l9ik2ti\ 0haSYUqNKzKOzHRzFSzCVz9Yy7ZvCYsHXoMVkQUgUScYR_aPWd\ PTzFXxEXuEXsEXpCXnCXkCXhCXyfUzzTzuUpkUc`USPUCCU05U\ tSzsJ`sA0oK4lSFiZPfeYclg`soatqatsautauuavvavxavyQv\ pCvg0v_9mNzzazzpzzzzzltkW } frm:MandelbrotMix4 {; Jim Muth a=real(p1), b=imag(p1), d=real(p2), f=imag(p2), g=1/f, h=1/d, j=1/(f-b), z=(-a*b*g*h)^j, k=real(p3)+1, l=imag(p3)+100, c=fn1(pixel): z=k*((a*(z^b))+(d*(z^f)))+c, |z| < l } END 20.0 PAR-FORMULA FILE==================================

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FOTD 29-10-02 (Feste Fractalis [5])
by Jim Muth 29 Oct '02

29 Oct '02

FOTD -- October 29, 2002 (Rating 5) Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: Today's routine image gives the impression of a gala festival, with brightly colored balloons and streamers hanging everywhere. I named it "Feste Fractalis", which, if it actually is a phrase in some foreign language, is purely accidental. The work of fractal building was accomplished by taking 0.8 parts of Z^(-1.5) and subtracting from it 0.8 parts of Z^(+1.5). Then (1/C) was added. The resulting fractal consists of a large mass of chaos with a skewed Mandeloid near its center, the whole area surrounded by satellite Mandeloids. Today's scene is located in the Seahorse Valley area of one of these smaller figures. The small Mandeloid that holds today's scene appears to be on the verge of vanishing beyond an escape radius, even though other Mandeloids exist farther from the origin. With an unexpected pile of work coming in, I had too little time to search for the best coloring, and had to settle for the pal- ette in the image. I am sure that better coloring is possible for this image, which is why I rated it at a run-of-the-mill 5. The 3-minute render time is acceptable; the download of the completed image is more acceptable. The download will soon be available on the WWW at: <http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/FotD/FotD.html> and at: <http://sdboyd.dyndns.org/~sdboyd/fotd/index.html> The fractal weather Monday was rather foul here at Fractal Central, as heavy clouds, a chilly temperature of 50F 10C, and occasional light rain kept the dynamic cats indoors most all day. As expected, their moods suffered, and a treat of tuna was necessary to restore their good spirits. This morning it's cloudy again, and rain is threatening. It will be another bad day for the duo. For me, it will be a passable day, though not until I finish the things that need to be done. That's it for now. Until next time, take care, and long live fractals. Jim Muth jamth(a)mindspring.com START 20.0 PAR-FORMULA FILE================================ Feste_Fractalis { ; time=0:03:08.72--SF5 on a P200 reset=2002 type=formula formulafile=allinone.frm formulaname=MandelbrotMix4 function=recip passes=1 center-mag=-0.34804633476406880/+0.558693945664914\ 30/83300.01/1/177.5/-6.90685425519532714e-011 params=0.8/-1.5/-0.8/1.5/0/0 float=y maxiter=500 inside=0 logmap=59 periodicity=10 colors=000v0awHScRLL_EMKNM4VK8UICUHFTFJTDNSCQSAUR9\ XRCNKFDDI47KA9MFBOLDQQESVGU`I3C92852528B1EG1KM1QR1\ WW1aa0gf0ml0sq0xm0coCKhOci_qjLpkMolMnlNmmNlmOknOjn\ PioPhoQgpQfpReqRdqScrSbrSjtTrvUzwUyoVxhVwaVwUVvNVu\ GVu9VsCWqFXpIYnLZmO_kR`jTahWbgZceadddebgfaigdffgdf\ jafm_fpYesVevTexReqNejKecGeXDeQAePCbPE`OGZOIXNKVNM\ TMORMQPMSNLULLWJKYHK_FJaDJcBJe99aB0ZD4`C8aBCbAGc9K\ d8Oe7Sg6Wh5_i4cj3gk2jl2hl5fl7el9clBalD`lFZlHXlJWlL\ UjMThMSfNRdNQbOP`OOZONXPMVPLTQKRQJPQHRSFSUKTWMUYOV\ _QXaSYcUZeW_gY`i_ZgaXfcVdeTcgRaiP`kNZmMYmKXmIVmGUm\ ESmCRmAPm8Om7NmAMmCMmEMmGLmILmKLmMKmOKmQKmSJmUJmWJ\ mYJmXLmWMmVNmUOmTQmSRmRSmQTmPVmOWmNXmMYmMZmLXmLWmK\ VmKTmJSmJRmIPmIOmKNmUMc_PccRccSccSccSdcSecSfcSgcSh\ cSicSjbSkaSl`SmWXoR`qMetIiwCbz6Wz1Pz3Oz4Nz6Nz7Mz9M\ zALzCLzDKzFJzGJzIIzJIzLHzMHzOGzPGzSHzVIzYJz`KzHNzF\ PzDQzCSzATz8Vz6Wz5Yz3Zz1` } frm:MandelbrotMix4 {; Jim Muth a=real(p1), b=imag(p1), d=real(p2), f=imag(p2), g=1/f, h=1/d, j=1/(f-b), z=(-a*b*g*h)^j, k=real(p3)+1, l=imag(p3)+100, c=fn1(pixel): z=k*((a*(z^b))+(d*(z^f)))+c, |z| < l } END 20.0 PAR-FORMULA FILE==================================

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FOTD 28-10-02 (Moth-Eaten Midget [4])
by Jim Muth 28 Oct '02

28 Oct '02

FOTD -- October 28, 2002 (Rating 4) Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: In a recent FOTD I speculated about a "Theory of 'Everything'". The next day I received a private e-mail directing me to a web site, where an article about theories of everything is posted. (The article is posted as a graphic image rather than text, so it took a long time to download.) Basically, it is an article about multi-worlds theories. The problem is that the conditions making self-aware life possible in our world are so unlikely that it is almost impossible for them to have arisen by chance. One way out of the dilemma is to theorize a creator or a 'God' who intentionally designed and fine-tuned the world so that life could arise and thrive in it. But this is not really a way out at all, because we immediately ask how the 'God' came to be. Another answer is to posit the existence of a near infinity of equally real worlds. Every world that could possibly exist, act- ually does exist. It is then no surprise that we find ourselves in a world where life is possible. How could it be otherwise? But even here there are problems. Can a world actually be said to exist if it contains no self-aware observers to be aware of it? The realization of the possibility of observer-created reality is nothing new. And if the observation creates the reality, what of the worlds I and most others observe in our dreams, especially our lucid dreams? While we are dreaming, these worlds can be as real and solid to us as the physical world is when we are awake. I doubt that a scientist who wants to be taken seriously would claim that dreams are real adventures in other real worlds. But where is the difference? If we claim that dream worlds are really only brain activity, we must then answer the question of what the physical world processes such as atoms, the universe, and brain activity really are. We need a theory of everything to completely explain anything. In the end, having gone in a circle, we are right back where we started. The final 'theory of everything' would appear to be a long way off. I see that my discussion has wandered rather far from the topic. No harm has been done, however, for today's fractal is sub-par, and I needed a distraction from its deficiency. (On some days, you just can't find a good fractal.) Today's image adds Z^10 to Z, then adds just plain C. The resulting parent fractal is a nondescript circle with 9 bays. Most bays are non-critical, and hold little of interest, but a small critical area does appear on the WNW shoreline. This small area is full of holes however. It is so filled with holes that it actually appears moth-eaten. Today's midget, which lies in a spurious valley where two arms intersect, is equally moth-eaten. And that is the name I gave to it. In an attempt to pump a bit of life into the image, I rendered it with the outside set to < tdis >. This option helps a little, but not much. It raised the rating from 3 to 4. The render time of 17 minutes, even with passes=t, is no help at all. Few will be willing to wait that long to see an inferior image. But most, I hope, will give Paul and Scott a few minutes to render the image, and then go to their FOTD web pages at: <http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/FotD/FotD.html> and: <http://sdboyd.dyndns.org/~sdboyd/fotd/index.html> and download the completed GIF image from there. The Sunday weather here at Fractal Central was all one could ask for. The sun shone, the sky was blue, and the temperature was 66F 19C. The fractal cats approved heartily by spending several midday hours in the yard, doing nothing much but watching the surrounding activity. At one time, a stray cat appeared in the bushes. The dynamic duo leaped up and were ready for a fight, but the stray wisely moved on. Today, Monday, is starting with clouds and sprinkles of rain. The cats will be complaining about that. And I'll be complain- ing until the work is finished, (but not very loudly). Until tomorrow's FOTD, take care, and perhaps nothing but fractals are real. Jim Muth jamth(a)mindspring.com jimmuth(a)aol.com START 20.0 PAR-FORMULA FILE================================ Moth-Eaten_Midget { ; time=0:17:06.06--SF5 on a P200 reset=2002 type=formula formulafile=allinone.frm formulaname=MandelbrotMix4 function=ident passes=t center-mag=-0.06995406148780703/+0.081330562392528\ 81/7770587/1/160/-1.97983129196499519e-009 params=-1/1/-1/10/0/0 float=y maxiter=1200 inside=255 outside=tdis periodicity=10 sound=off colors=000hTbiUejWhkXklYnm_qn`toawpbzmcwjdtgeqdena\ fkZghWgeThbQi_NjXKjUHkRElOClMLfMUaMaXMjSMrNMpPMnQM\ mRMkTMiUMhVMfWMdYMcZMa_M_aMZbMXcMWdMUcPSbSRbUPaXOa\ ZM`aK_dJ_fHZiGZkEYnCXqBXs9Wv8WxOVvbUtqUsrNusHvtBxu\ 5yq7tn8pjAlgBhdCdeBfeBgeAieAjf9lf9mf8of8pf7rg7sg6u\ g6vg5xg5yh8wiBujEskGqlJomMmmOknRioUgpXeqZcraasd_sf\ YpeXmdWkcWhbVebVcaU``UY_TW_TUZUTZURZUQZUOZUNYVLYVK\ YVIYVHYVFXWEXWCXWBXWAXWLccVijdpqnvxluwjuwhuwftwdtw\ ctwasw_swYswWrwUrwTrw_kufdtlZrsSqyMpvNosNopNonNnkN\ nhNnfOmcOm`OmZOlWOlTOlROlTNiUMfVMcWL`XLZWMVVMSVNOU\ NLTNHTOESOASO7UPBWPFYPI_PMaPQcPTePXgP`iPckPgmPkoPn\ ZHjIAf23c58e8CgBGiELkHPmJToMXqPasSeuViwXmyVnvUnsTn\ pSnmRnjQngOodNoaMoZLoWKoTJoQMlSPiTSfUUcWX`X_YYaVZ`\ YY``Y`cY_eY_hY_kY_mYbi`eebhadkYgmUipQksMnvIpxFrxGo\ xHlxIixIfxJcxK`xLYxLVxMSxNPxOMxOKwQMvROuSPtTRtVTsW\ UrXWqYYpZZp``oabnbcmceK0P } frm:MandelbrotMix4 {; Jim Muth a=real(p1), b=imag(p1), d=real(p2), f=imag(p2), g=1/f, h=1/d, j=1/(f-b), z=(-a*b*g*h)^j, k=real(p3)+1, l=imag(p3)+100, c=fn1(pixel): z=k*((a*(z^b))+(d*(z^f)))+c, |z| < l } END 20.0 PAR-FORMULA FILE==================================

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Re: Fractint "deadware"? NO!
by Ralph Feltens 28 Oct '02

28 Oct '02

- Lurk mode off - Hello everybody I started my fractal explorations using fractint (version 16.something) when I bought my first PC (around 1990?), and I owe this program (that is, its creators) a lot. Nevertheless, some years ago I switched to Ultrafractal. I know that this is the Fractint list, but it seems a little strange to me that the topics that generate a lot of traffic on this list are the same that also have been appearing on the official fractint wishlist http://web.ukonline.co.uk/members/robin.b2/olig/fracwish.htm page for several years now. These include truecolor support, windows (or at least 32 Bit OS) compatibility and formula compiler enhancements. It is true that UF doesn't have the complete functionality of Fractint (evolver, boundary tracing, L-systems - and yes, the color cycling now implemented in UF doesn't work as smooth as the one in Fractint), but the abovementioned and often asked-for functionalities are realized in UF and work very well, so if someone feels that he or she really needs one of these, she might feel inclined to pay the registration fee for that programm (for those who don't know if the program is worth its money, they can download a fully functional demo version). I am not suggesting to abandon Fractint altogether, but I have the feeling that some people will like the additional functionality offered by UF (and it is quite easy to import Fractint parameter and even gradient files to UF). One possible szenario: find a nice parameter set in Fractint using the evolver, then import the par file into UF and generate the picture in truecolor (I wonder: if the artistic merit of the pictures is not an issue, then why are so many people demanding truecolor support?). And with respect to Jack's email (attached below), as far as I know, every statement he makes does *not* apply to UF 3. Deepzoom: supported now even for user-made formulas (So, Jim Muth, here is your possibility to do deepzoom dives - arbitrary precision math - into your MandelbrotMix formulas). Formula writing: the formula compiler is much more advanced than that of Fractint; additionally, you can also write your own inside/outside colouring formulas (and no limitation to the amount of parameters you can define). Most fractal types: since the whole (orgform?) formula collection can also be used with UF, I think this statement is obsolete. Most options: most definitely not! I don't know what the price for a second hand pentium system is, but I guess it is more expensive than an UF license - and for my part, I wouldn't like to add another PC to my living room just to run Fractint (if I had a spare room for setting up more computers, things might be different - but more probably I would do this only to take advantage of UF's capability to use networked PCs). Regards Ralph - lurk mode on - > From: "JackOTradez" <JackOTradez(a)email.msn.com> > To: <fractint(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2002 10:55:20 -0400 > Subject: [Fractint] Re: Fractint digest, Vol 1 #274 - 12 msgs > Reply-To: fractint(a)mailman.xmission.com > > Re: Fractint "deadware"? NO! > > I have purchased and registered several of those "other" new windoze-based > fractal programs. They are good; a couple of them are really good. But > (unless I have missed something) none of them can zoom AS DEEP as Fractint, > nor with anywhere close the max number of iterations. And Fractint still has > the most options and fractal types. The other programs seem pointed towards > those who just want to make pretty pictures. Fractint is (and always has > been) for the serious fractal explorer. You can even write your own formulas > and experiment! And it is good enuf just as it is. (I use the developers > version 20+). As for DOS obsolete, I feel that anyone sophisticated enuf to > use Fractint to it's max capabilities should be able to buy or obtain a > cheap/second-hand pentium-2 or 3 system and install DOS on it - this will be > possible for many years yet. Deadware? Not in this lifetime ... ... ...

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Re: Fractint digest, Vol 1 #276 - 5 msgs
by JackOTradez 27 Oct '02

27 Oct '02

Reply to Tony Parker: Sorry! I beg forgiveness!! Chill!!! <G> I in no way at all intended to put down or deride the artists! Either you completely misunderstood my words or perhaps I was clumsy with my choice of words. I meant no insult with the term "pretty pictures". Quite the opposite - that is what this is all about! If you wanna get me back, you can call my work "pretty animations" and I won't be mad. <g> Cheers

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