Is FractInt still being used?

[Belbo]

As starting to get engaged with creating Fractals I'm surprised to see so few people involved with FractInt. I have downloaded and tried most of the freeware software and it seems to me that FractInt does give you much more possibilities if you are willing to live with the DOS interface and the 256 colors restrictions. With the latest Windows beta I'm running it runs fast, but also after you learn the basic keyboard shortcuts it is also easy to operate and very quick. I really haven't tried any of the shareware software (Ultra Fractal and the likes), however I'm wondering if it's true and what's the reason behind it.

[youhn]

I'm pretty used to what normal people would call non-user-friendly software. I work on Linux Slackware whenever possible, using a bare window manager with no taskbars, icons, shortcuts or other desktop cluttering. Programs are started from command line or keyboard shortcuts, which is fast as hell. Working on the filesystem or managing images also works fine from there.

I still cannot understand why people would be happy or comfortable with operating systems and desktop enviroments from microsoft or apple. After years of advocating the use of Linux and Open Source, I gave up pushing hard. Now I only explain and patiently wait, since forcing only leads to the opposite effect is many cases.

And maybe some of those M$ people are right. Perhaps the simplicity of a computer with Windows or OS X, with all of its opaqueness and restrictions, is just right for them. For those poor souls, it really beats the freedom and complexity of Open Source operating systems.

By the way, I've looked at almost all your images you have posted. But I was trying to be nice by not reacting. In my opinion, they are pretty ugly. Sorry.

addition: Anyone feel free to form your opinion about these fractint images in the following topic:
http://www.fractalforums.com/fractint/multifractal_12-t18437/
 

[Sockratease]

Just a couple hints from an impartial observer...

First, youhn - it is rude to call somebody's Art ugly.  If you don't like it, just say you don't like it, or describe it as uninteresting, mundane, commonplace, or any of hundreds of other less instigatory words.  Even if you feel it's ugly, it's better not to put it in those words on a forum where your intonation can't be heard  (written words are very different from spoken words).

And Multifrac - if you feel a section of the board is dead, deleting your posts there has exactly the opposite effect you may be hoping for - it does nothing to revive the topic.  This is a forum, not a chat room.  Often replies come days, weeks, or even months later.  Give these things time and even if replies never come - look at the view count.  That will tell you if people are reading what you write or not.  But please leave them there unless there is a compelling reason to remove them.  Lack of prompt replies is not, in my opinion, a good reason to delete a thread.

I hope the fractint board revives, but if not - then not.  There's nothing wrong with posting and having nobody reply.  It may be those posts that eventually revive interest in the software so please consider re-posting just so there is some activity in the section if you hope to see more people catch on. 

Have fun and enjoy yourself with what you do - that's more important than what others think of what you're doing by far!

[novabrain]

As starting to get engaged with creating Fractals I'm surprised to see so few people involved with FractInt. I have downloaded and tried most of the freeware software and it seems to me that FractInt does give you much more possibilities if you are willing to live with the DOS interface and the 256 colors restrictions. With the latest Windows beta I'm running it runs fast, but also after you learn the basic keyboard shortcuts it is also easy to operate and very quick. I really haven't tried any of the shareware software (Ultra Fractal and the likes), however I'm wondering if it's true and what's the reason behind it.

Hi Belbo,

I dug out an old computer from my garage (a Pentium 233MHz 64MB 2GB-HD; MS-DOS 6.22) with the idea of running an old Microsoft Flight Simulator (4.1) from an Abandonware website. I then had the idea of running a fractal generator and found FractInt, installed it and began zooming on the Mandelbrot.

I know that my old computer is about as fast as a snail (compared to new desktops and laptops); but doesn't  the fastest desktop eventually run out of steam (through deep-zooming) and take the same amount of time (3 hours) to produce a single image? I'm currently at 34 decimal-level zoom... (Amusing to read that An 18 decimal-digit 1024x768 took *3 WEEKS* on a 486DX/66 PC! My first home computer (Acorn Electron) took 14 hours to generate 1st Mandelbrot screen)  

The only thing that concerns me is my energy bill - seriously thinking about buying an Aleutia T1, installing FreeDOS and FractInt and then I could leave it on 24/7 with peace of mind (10 watts). I could imagine that it's Intel Atom N2800 1.86GHz CPU is 100 times faster than my old Pentium; but I'm sure it wouldn't take long to reach 3-hour calculations....

Re: Ultra Fractal. I've got it installed on my Core 2 Duo Windows 7 laptop and am impressed with its speed and tech (uses both CPU cores to generate); but I like using FractInt.  

[djbarney]

I'm using it because its the first fractal application I started using in the late 90's. The interface is very fast even if the core application is dated by todays standards. Ultrafractal and others can still import Fractint formulaes. There seem to be a LOT of  formulae collections out there. Plus the stone soup story is cool.

[simon.snake]

I still use FractInt, but recently I upgraded to a new laptop and still haven't managed to copy things like FractInt and much more that I used to use, and I think it's going to be something that I gradually bring over.

But, I do find the ease of use for writing my own formulae really great.  Not many programs are this quick:

Alt-Tab to notepad, which I have already loaded on the right of the screen and contains the simon.frm file containing FractInt formulae.
Edit something.
Alt-F, S to save it.
Alt-Tab back to FractInt.
Press T (to select formula type)
Press Enter (it'll usually be already on Formula type)
Select New formula and press Enter/Return
Watch new changes take effect.

Rinse and repeat as many times as required to see what happens.

What could be simpler?