Fractint is FREEware. i.e. it doesn't cost a dime. However it may or may not run in Winn NT, 2000, or XP. These OS's don't have the DOS inards the ther Windows versions did and only have enough DOS for System Administration. If you have a computer running Win95/98 your OK. It (FRACTINT) generates *.gif 89a non-interlaced files that is to say the same type of files the jittery student loan consolidation add on thre 'Net is made in. This is so the color palette can rotate (you can cause the available colors in the the picture to cycle at all point in the image, sequencially) which in some cases can be nothing short of astounding. The only other downside is the program has some trouble comunicating with the newer video cards which no longer maintain a protocol with a DOS level type OS. They depend on Windows Linux or BEos (or what ever your OS is to talk to then through software drivers (the devil inside so to speak) and therefore may not be seen or se the older OS.

I suggest digging out that old computer (that most of us have at least one of stuffed in a closet somewhere) see if the Hard-Drive & Floppy Drives still work, see if the Video card is an ISA, PCI or AGP type made a copmany still in business and who maintain legacy driver support (the software that runs a Window'$ computer's various parts are called drivers) buy a cheap hardware controlled modem (not one with jumper clips, they're a pain in the a**) go online and download FRACTINT from www.fractint.org (or at least follow the links they'll provide) and enjoy some superb eye and brain candy. Also, stay on this list and feed your brain and eyes, there are some very cool egg-heds on this list and none of them are snooty-stuck-up types.