Does anyone know of a good way to figure out how to set the BLASTER variable that I think fractint needs?
 
I wondered if that DosBOX program at sourceforge would read it from somewhere or emulate a soundblaster
through Windows Sound System, and the last download of DosBOX I tried had a bad CRC. Anybody got
experience with DosBOX and FRACTINT?
 
On my last computer, soundblaster information was available when I enabled soundblaster support in the BIOS.
I did not manage to get that old MIDI synth working before it crashed. On my new computer I hav no clue how
to fill out the BLASTER VARIABLE. Also, my new computer (a used 3GHz P4 Duo) does not come with VESA
support, of all things for IBM/Intel/Lanovo to skip, so it looks like I will be running fractint at 300by400by256 --
might as well. When I really want high res, I might as well use the disk video modes, then there's a hope I can
run fractint as a background process (Last time I checked, though, Windows stalls between sections).
 
It's a bummer for producing videos at 640by480 with color-cycling, though,
unless I can work out how to do it in batch mode ...might as well...I'm writing
the parameter files with a BASIC program, anyway.
 
An option before me, a few seconds ago, was to install cygwin and compile XFractint,
and I just looked it up, seeing a message from Jonathan Osuch somewhere in 2005,
that it compiles cleanly under cygwin
http://mailman.xmission.com/lurker/message/20051127.140158.0c79337a.ja.html
 
Can I install Redhat Program Modules (RPMs) under cygwin?
 
My introduction to cygwin sujested that I had to compile just about anything I wanted,
and if Osuch has a binary, then maybe I don't. I think some RPMs are source-only.
Which packages do I need for XFractint?
 
I saw fvwm2. I suspect the c or c++ compilers. I am on dialup, although
if it goes to gigabytes, then I can drop by a syberkafay
with my USB key, and download cygwin binaries on that, first.
 
Oh, and I thot I posted a question about sound support with WinFract.
Anyone behind that project, now?
 
The new part of this computer that clinched the deal is that the video guard does 1600by900.
I look forward to selecting fractals that make good widescreen.wallpaper.