August 2004 - Fractint - mailman.xmission.com

FOTD 16-08-04 (Spiral_Spangled [7])
by Jim Muth 16 Aug '04

16 Aug '04

FOEFD -- August 16, 2004 (Rating 7) Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: As has become the usual state of affairs lately, the work is still heavy here at Fractal Central, and the discussion will be brief. Today's fractal image features spirals -- brilliant, sparkling spirals everywhere, a good reason to name it "Spiral Spangled". Those sparkling small spirals, and the large main spiral surrounding the central midget, raise the rating of the image to a respectful 7. The conveniently short render time of 4 minutes gives the image an even more respectful overall value of 162. The image lies near the end of a filament extending from a bud on the north shoreline of the main bay of its parent fractal. This parent was created by combining 4 parts of Z^(0.5) with 2 parts of Z^(-1.5) and adding (1/C). The parameter file renders in just over 4 minutes on my now- antique fractal-dedicated machine. It will go faster on a newer unit. And as always, the file of the completed image is, or soon will be, available on the FOTD web site at: <http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/FotD/FotD.html> Storm Charley passed by Saturday with 0.08 inch 2mm of rain and a wind gusting to 5mph 8kph. The fractal cats watched the non- excitement from the dryness of the porch. Sunday stayed dry all day, giving the dynamic duo much time in the fractal yard. Today is starting sunny. It looks like another good day for the fractal duo. For me it looks like work, and there is no better time to get started than now. Until the next FOEFD appears in a few days, take care, and dig deeply. Jim Muth jamth(a)mindspring.com jimmuth(a)aol.com START 20.0 PAR-FORMULA FILE================================ Spiral_Spangled { ; time=0:04:19.91--SF5 on a P200 reset=2003 type=formula formulafile=allinone.frm formulaname=MandelbrotMix4 function=recip passes=b center-mag=-0.21650624140427070/+0.019943127229515\ 34/4.234284e+009/1/37.5/-0.000450000450211679448 params=2/0.5/1/-1.5/1/-70 float=y maxiter=1000 inside=255 outside=imag logmap=113 periodicity=10 colors=000G0oD0jB0e80a50Z10W03R09O0QN0UN0YN0aN0cN0\ aN0YL0UL6QJBLIGGINDGQ8EU5EZ1Df0Bk0Bm09o08q08s0Bu5D\ wSGwXIxcLzlNzsUzzczzhzztzzczwUxoLqgJj`InUEoLDqEBu6\ 9w08x06q05k05g03a03W01Q01L11G30B30850560160681995B\ 98EB9GBDJDGNEJOELRGOUGRXIZZIgXEoWDxU9zR8zR5zQ3zO0z\ N0zL0zL0zJ0zI0xG0wG0xJ0wL1wN9wOIwRQwUZwWgwXowWqrUr\ oUrkRujRugQwcQx`OzZOzWNzRNzQGzJBzE6z91z50z08z1Jz3W\ z5gz6rz8xz9ozBekQ5WeDLXLBOU1Ga08j00h00h00g00g00e10\ e60c90cD0aG0aJ0`O0`R0ZW0ZZ0Za0``0``0aZ3aZ9cXGcXNeW\ WeWagUhgUohRwhRzhRzgUzgUxgUrgUngWhgWcgWZgWRgWNgXIg\ XDgX8gX3gX0ha0je0kh0nk0oo0qr0rw0rz0uz0uz0uz0uz3uz6\ wz9wzDwzGwzLwzOxzRxzWxzZxzaxzexzhrwcnq`hnXchRZcOW`\ LQWGLRDGN9BI58E13900500100000000000600D00J00Q00X00\ c00j03k0En0Qo0aq5kr8nu1nw0ox0qz0qz0rz0rz0rz0rz6uzE\ uzLuzRuzZuzewzUxzIzz6wz5rz3qz1nz0jz00zL0zL3zG6zD9z\ 9Dz6Gz3Jz0Nz0Oz0Lz3IzD000 } 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 14-08-04 (Electric Discharge [6])
by Jim Muth 15 Aug '04

15 Aug '04

FOEFD -- August 14, 2004 (Rating 6) Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: For today's image we return to the overworked MandelbrotMix4 formula. The very fast image takes us into the fractal created by combining various negative portions of Z^(-1.3) and Z^(-3.9), then adding (1/C). This parent fractal is a grossly bloated thing far too immense to fit onto the screen even at the minimum possible magnitude. Today's image lies near the end of a filament extending from a distorted bay of the largest Mandel-like feature. I named the image "Electric Discharge" because of the many zig-zag electric-arc-blue filaments surrounding the central midget. I rated it at a 6 because I consider it a bit above average. I rendered the scene with the passes set to 'b'. Not only is this the fastest method with this particular image, it is also the most fun to watch appear on the screen. The render time of 1-1/2 minutes combines with the rating of 6 to give an overall value of an impressive 378. The fastest way to see the image is to run the included parameter file. With Paul so busy, it will likely be an hour or two before the image is posted to the FOTD web site at: <http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/FotD/FotD.html> The unsettled weather continued Thursday and Friday here at Fractal Central, with enough rain to keep the fractal cats confined to the indoors. They were understandably sulky. Today is starting cloudy, and the remains of storm Charley are due in the vicinity later today with deluges of rain. We'll see how the cats take this weather. I still have enough backed-up work to keep me hopping. The worst (or best) part is that the new work comes in almost as fast as the old work is finished. The fractals are temporarily slowed down; the philosophy is all but dead. But the catch-up point is visible on the distant horizon. Look for the next FOEFD around Monday the 16th. Until then, take care, and maybe nothing is real. Jim Muth jamth(a)mindspring.com jimmuth(a)aol.com START 20.0 PAR-FORMULA FILE================================ Electric_Discharge { ; time=0:01:35.35--SF5 on a P200 reset=2003 type=formula formulafile=allinone.frm formulaname=MandelbrotMix4 function=recip passes=b center-mag=-2.02795783865152300/-0.531289001289163\ 20/7.840581e+010/1/-122.5/0.129435658686167326 params=-1/-1.3/-0.3/-3.9/0/-20 float=y maxiter=900 inside=255 logmap=45 periodicity=10 colors=000zaJzeBzj2zn2zr2zl2zh2te2lZ2cW2WS2OM2HI47\ F609805A01B00N00Z30i90uF0zK0zQ0zU0zY0z`7zcFzfMzjWz\ lczplzttzvzzyyzzyzzyzzyzzyzzwzzwzzwwzwuzwqzwozvzzv\ zztzytzztzztzztzztzztzztzztyztuztoztkyverw_jyVczPW\ zJOzGHzA9z41z20z20z20z2DzDQzRczanzmlzsjzyhzzhzzfzz\ ezzezzfzzhzzjzwlzmnzapzTrzJtzAvzBwzDyzDzzGzzGzzIzz\ IzzJzzJzzLzzLzzNzzNzzPzzPzzAzz2zz2zzAzzIzzPzzXzzcz\ zkzzqzzmzzkzzizzezzczzazz_zzXzzVzzTzzRzzTzzTzzVzzV\ zzXzzXzzZzzZzz_zz_zzazzazzazzXzzRzzNzzIzzDzz8zz4zz\ AzzGzzLzzRzzXzzazzgzzmzzszzyzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzyzzwz\ zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzwzzozzezzXzzPzzGzz6\ zz2zz2zz6zzBzzGzzLzzPzzVzzZzzazzgzzkzzqzzuzzzzzzzz\ zzzzzzyzzuzzqzzmzzizzczz_zzXzzTzzPzzLzzIzzPzzVzz_z\ zezzkzzqzzwzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzyzzyzzwzzwzzu\ zzszzszzqzzqzzmzzkzzizzgzzezzczz_zzZzzXzzVzzTzzRzz\ PzzPzzPzzPzzPzzPzzgzz_000 } 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: FOTD 12-08-04 (Ringworld [5])
by Jim Muth 14 Aug '04

14 Aug '04

At 10:53 AM 8/12/04 -1000, David Jones wrote: >Bummer, as of this date/time, the FOTD page >has no date showing later than Aug 11 - and >Aug 11's entry is blank ... 8-( Yes, a bummer indeed. These irregular postings must be giving Paul a fit. There was no FOTD on August 11. But salvation is at hand. Save the 'Ringworld' discussion in text format with a .par extension in your Fractint directory, and run it as you would any parameter file. The Ringworld image will appear within one minute. And as for the next FOTD (FOEFD) image -- it will appear the morning of Saturday, August 14. Jim (I am still here) M.

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Mailing List
by PCMASPEC＠cs.com 14 Aug '04

14 Aug '04

This is probably not the preferred procedure, but I would like to be removed from the mailing list. I've decided my interest in fractals is too small to support the veritable flood of e-mails on the subject. I just returned from five weeks in the hospital (knee replacement) and am removing unwanted messages from my "inbox" and have found that the number dealing with fractals is more than I want to deal with, now or in the future. Thanks, Richard M Teeter pcmaspec(a)cs.com

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Re: FOTD 12-08-04 (Ringworld [5])
by Jim Muth 14 Aug '04

14 Aug '04

At 08:04 PM 8/13/04 -0500, Paul Lee wrote: >Peter Moreland wrote: >> Would it be cool for FOTD to have >> its own list? . . . Paul replied: >Jim used to do a lot more "waxing philosophic", >with his "armchair philosophy", in each of the >FOTDs. . . . Actually, I never really told how philosophical I sometimes can be. Ghosts and precognition are merely hints of the things I take seriously. If I had my life to live over, I would probably choose to be a metaphysician who specializes in searching for the reality that lies behind the illusion of a real outer world that we observe with our senses. Then again, I might not. Even though being considered a kook would not deter me, the employment opportunities are rather limited in the field of metaphysics. BTW, it's hard to top 'Rendezvous With Rama'. FOTD (FOEFD) coming in around 12 hours. Jim (I really am real) M.

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FOTD 12-08-04 (Ringworld [5])
by Jim Muth 13 Aug '04

13 Aug '04

FOEFD -- August 12, 2004 (Rating 5) Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: Today's short trip into fractal land takes us to a tiny midget on the main stem of the Mandelbrot set. The scene is located on a filament in the East Valley area of that midget. I named the image "Ringworld" in recognition of one of my favorite novels. (In the near future I must name an image "Rama" in recognition of another favorite.) After not-so-careful consideration, I decided to rate the image at an average 5. But sometimes the average can be deceiving. When the very short render time of 21 seconds in considered, the overall value leaps to a monumental 1416. Despite the speed of the parameter file, it is still quite convenient to visit the FOTD web site at: <http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/FotD/FotD.html> and download the finished GIF file from there. Near perfect weather on Monday and Tuesday made the fractal cats happy. It made the fractal human happy also, but with so much to do, he had little chance to enjoy the conditions. On Wednesday a short but intense thunder-storm broke up the cats' afternoon, and sent them scurrying for cover. Today is starting cloudy with more showers. With two tropical disturbances coming this way, it remains to be seen how things will go in the cat world. And with any luck at all, the next FOEFD will appear in a few days. Until then, take care, and don't give up hope. The FOEFD will soon revert to the FOTD. Jim Muth jamth(a)mindspring.com jimmuth(a)aol.com START PARAMETER FILE======================================= Ringworld { ; time=0:00:21.20--SF5 on a P200 reset=2003 type=mandel passes=1 center-mag=-1.52167130216204700/+0.000018953220831\ 17/1.477707e+012/1/-130/0.00825556090964243289 params=0/0 float=y maxiter=3600 bailout=9 inside=0 logmap=556 periodicity=10 mathtolerance=/1 colors=0005AU4CW3EY2G_1Ia1Kb3I`4GZ6EX7CV8ATA8RB6PC\ 5NH4LM4NR3RW3V`2_e2cj1go1ks1or8iqFdqL_mNYjPWgRUcTT\ `VRYWPUYOR_MOaKKcJHdHEfFAhE7jC4lA1m97lCDlEIlGOkITk\ KZkNdjPijRojTtjVqcYoX`mQcjJfhCif6ld7kc8ja9j`9iZAiY\ BhWBgVCgTDfSDfQCePBdOAcNAbL9aK8`J7_I7ZG6YF5XE4WD4W\ CXTCxRBuNAsJ9qG8oC7m86k5Hc4RW4aO3kG3u93tF6tK9tPCtU\ FtZIsdLsiOsnRssUsxXUvP4uI6tL8sNArPCqRDqTFpVHoYJn_K\ naMmcOleQkgRkiShjTekUblV`mVYmWVnXToYQpZNqZLqWMkTNe\ RN`OOVMPPJPKHQEER8CR3BQ7BQBBPFAPIAOMAOQ9NT9NX9N`8M\ c8Mg8Lk7Ln7Kr7Kv7Ky9MsAOnBQiDRcETZFVUHXPKYJM_EXa9Y\ d4`iHfpTnwdpqamlZjgWhbTeXQbSN_NKYIIUHMVGPUFSUEVUDZ\ TCaTBdUAgUAjSCjRDjPFjYpY`nVcmSflPhkMfgKddIb`GaYE_V\ CYRAXO8VK6TH4SE3VODXXNZfX`ofbkddhbfd`ha_jYYlVWnRUp\ QTrRRtSPvTOtURsVUrWXpXZoYanZdm_fk`ijalicogeqfgteiw\ dkyemxeoxeqxesxeuwezweywezwezvezvezvezvhzyizwjzujz\ tkzrlzplzomzmnzknzjozh6zH } END PARAMETER FILE=========================================

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FOTD 09-08-04 (Metaphysical Magic [4])
by Jim Muth 09 Aug '04

09 Aug '04

FOEFD -- August 09, 2004 (Rating 4) Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: Today's image shows a tiny midget in a remote valley of a sub-bud on the northwest shore of the main period-2 bud of the Mandelbrot set. It is everything that might be expected of a midget in this particular location, which really is not all that much. As I study the image, several questions come to mind. The first question is 'how can I attract a larger FOTD following if I keep admitting in the discussions that the FOTD fractals are not very good?' The next question is 'how can I claim that the fractals are good when I feel they are not?' The third question is 'how can I present good fractal images when I lack the time to find and develop them?' An unrelated question is 'how soon will the aliens from Alpha Centauri invade and take over the earth?' Considering all these fractal problems, I could rate today's image at only a lowly 4. As is always the case, with more time, I could have produced a better rendering of the scene. As for those aliens from outer space, the existence of which skeptics still doubt, only the government co-conspirators know when the invasion is coming and we will all be spirited off to the slave labor camps on the far side of the moon. I named today's image "Metaphysical Magic". After all, fractals are metaphysical, and a metaphysicist is a scientist doing rational science without the benefit of a laboratory. And now, the work is again piling up, and I find my thoughts wandering from the fractal topic. I guess this means it's time to post this FOEFD and get busy on other things. The overall worth of today's image is 97. The finished image can be found on the FOTD web site at: <http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/FotD/FotD.html> Perfect weather on Saturday and Sunday made the cats perfectly happy. They spent two long afternoons in the cool shade of the holly trees at the bottom of the yard. Today looks like a repeat, which will likely give them another good day in the yard. For me, the work is slowly yielding to persistent effort. The end is in sight, but it is still quite far off. The next FOEFD will appear in a few days. Until then, take care, and I sometimes wonder whether fractals have minds that can think rationally. I suspect they do not, but I am not certain. Jim Muth jamth(a)mindspring.com jimmuth(a)aol.com START PARAMETER FILE======================================= Metaphysical_Magic { ; time=0:04:06.83--SF5 on a P200 reset=2003 type=mandel passes=1 center-mag=-1.21851062692924200/+0.159022894764565\ 60/1.326992e+010/1/-67.505189658390492/0.006498677\ 90712158749 params=0/0 float=y maxiter=25000 bailout=9 inside=0 logmap=4808 periodicity=10 colors=000d`mcbmcdmbfmbhmdinejnfkngknhlnimnkmoknom\ nonmoolnnknliligieefbcdZaaW_ZSYWQWURVXSUZTT`VUbWVd\ XVfZWh_Wj`XlbYncYpdZrf_tg_vh`xi`zdbw_cuWdsRfqMgnIh\ lDjj8kh4lfEcaNWXWOTeGOn8Jw0Fq0El0Dg0Db0CY0BT0BO0AJ\ 09E09D3BD5CC8DCAEBDFBFGAIHAKIDNLFPOISRKUUNXXPZ_Sab\ UcdTdgTdiSdlSdnRckQchPcePcbOb_NbXNbVMbSLbPKaMKaJJa\ GIaDIaBL`FN`IQ`LS`OV`RX`U__Xa__d_bf_ei_hk_keWg`TdV\ QaQNZLJVFGSADP5AMYGsXItWJtVKtULtTMuSNuROuQPuPQvORv\ NSvNTvPRmQQeSOYTNQVLIWKATLCRMDPNENOGLPHJQIHRJFSLDT\ MBUN9VO7WQ5XR3YS1YT3WU5VV6UW8TXASYBRZDQ_FP`GOaINbK\ McLLdNKePJfQIgSHcUG`WGXYFU_ERaENbDKdDGfCDhBAjB6lA3\ mA0iD2eF4aH6YK8UMAROCNQEJTGFUIBXK8ZLBXJDVIGTHIRGLQ\ FNOEQMDSKBVIAXH9_F8aD7dB6f95h84g9Fh9QiA`jAckBflCim\ DlnEooFrpGuqHwrIxsJytKzuLzvMzwNzxLzyKzzIzzHzzFzzEz\ zCzzBzz9zz8zz6zz5zz4zzBzzIzzPzzMzzKzzHzzFzzCzzAzzi\ zzgzzdzzazz_zzXzzVzzXzzZz } END PARAMETER FILE=========================================

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Interesting Stats for a Dream PC
by Paul N. Lee 08 Aug '04

08 Aug '04

Greetings, For those thinking about getting new hardware, whether just a component or a whole system, you may wish to read several web pages on what CNET Labs has recently done: http://ct.com.com/click?q=c6-URF9QMLIscR4hgzIIXTPm8dHu6ZR Some interesting results on Graphics and other areas. Sincerely, P.N.L. ------------------------------------------------- http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/PNL_Fractals.html http://www.Nahee.com/Fractals/

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New video board for Fractint
by Tim Wegner 08 Aug '04

08 Aug '04

Success!! Got a reasonably inexpensive new video board with good VESA VESA BIOS Extensions (VBE) support. My considerations were: 1. Good VBE so Fractint would work. 2. I'm not a gamer, don't need latest and fastest 3D support, but did want some decent 3D support. You never know what software I might want to run. 3. Work well with Windows XP and Linux with reasonably current drivers. 4. DVI connector and TV out just in case I want to use them (maybe get an LCD monitor). Use the AGP slot 5. Reasonably cheap ($60 or so) What precipitated this was that my ATI Radeon 7500 hangs up in SVGA modes with Fractint, and even if it didn't, doesn't have great Fractint/VBE support. 1600x1200x256 is more or less the "fractint holy grail" for video modes, and the ATI quites well before that (if it worked, of course, which it doesn't). To be fair, others have told me that their ATI boards work OK with fractint, but they have complained of limited number of available modes. Since ATI, the performance leader these days in video boards, doesn't seem to have very good VESA VBE support, I opted for an Nvidia Geforce board. Nvidia doesn't seem to make their own boards, but there are many brands that use their chips. I picked Chaintech in Taiwan because I could find reasonable information on their web site. I bought the board from www.axiontech.com because they are local to Houston and I could drive over and pick up the board. The exact board I got was a Chaintech FX20, a 128MB Geforce FX5200 board. This Nvidia Geforce 5200 chipset is has been out about a year, and is the current Nvidia low end, which is what I wanted. VESAINFO reports (edited for only the 256 color modes): Allegro VESAINFO utility 3.0 By Shawn Hargreaves, 1997 VESASignature: VESA VESAVersion: 3.0 OEMStringPtr: NVIDIA TotalMemory: 2048 (131072K) Mode 0x130: 320x200 8 bpp packed pixel Mode 0x131: 320x400 8 bpp packed pixel Mode 0x134: 320x240 8 bpp packed pixel Mode 0x100: 640x400 8 bpp packed pixel Mode 0x101: 640x480 8 bpp packed pixel Mode 0x103: 800x600 8 bpp packed pixel Mode 0x105: 1024x768 8 bpp packed pixel Mode 0x107: 1280x1024 8 bpp packed pixel Mode 0x147: 1400x1050 8 bpp packed pixel Mode 0x145: 1600x1200 8 bpp packed pixel I downloaded and installed the latest Nvidia drivers for XP (not needed for Fractint) and installed the board without a hitch. However makefcfg crashes under XP (I'm not sure why, makefcfg is based on vesainfo.) So I booted to DOS but needed a DPMI server to run the program. There's a free one at: http://clio.rice.edu/cwsdpmi/csdpmi5b.zip In any case, you don't really need makefcfg. Just take the standard fractint.cfg, copy and pace one the "VESA Standard Interface" modes, edit the resolution, and put the mode number from vesainfo (without the leading 0x) into the BX register column. I'll look into making up a freedos boot disk with a DPMI server and makefcfg on it. We could publish an image of it at fractint.org. When all this was done, I was happily running fractint at 1600x1200. Note that I've been able to do this for a long time on my old computer (circa 1998) with a Nvidia Riva TNT based board. I'm just happy current boards still have legacy VESA support. One final footnote. The board I bought actually has a VESA 2048x1536 mode, but only 32 bit true color (sigh!). Tim

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Re: [Fractint] Fractint with AGP??
by BillatNY＠aol.com 07 Aug '04

07 Aug '04

Tim, I have a Windows XP system with a Radeon 9600 XT AGP card. Fractint works fine with it. As an aside, you may recall that many people on this list, including you, tried to help me with a problem I had when I first got the card. Fractint would not give me any resolutions over 640 X 480. Nothing I tried helped. However, I recently purchased a new monitor. It's a SyncMaster 173P LCD display. I can now get resolutions up to 1280 X 1024. My previous SONY monitor was certainly capable of the handling these resolutions, so I don't know why changing the monitor should have had an effect. Maybe this will give you some ideas about your own situation, though. Bill Rossi _http://members.aol.com/billatny/_ (http://members.aol.com/billatny/) _http://www.arts4u.org/rossi/_ (http://www.arts4u.org/rossi/)

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