GETTING FRACTINT

There are many ways to get the Fractint program. The easiest way for you may be right here. Click on the hilighted text to retrieve the latest DOS version of Fractint. The latest release is Fractint version 19.5. Warning! Clicking on this highlited text will start a 1/2 megabyte filetransfer. Yes, this is where you get the latest executable version of the program. It is a bug-fix and upgrade on the 19.4 release. U.K. and European WWW users may find a faster link for Fractint at this site.

A version for MS Windows 3.x is also available. Be aware that the Windows version is not updated with the DOS version. The good news is that the DOS version of Fractint runs quite well under WIN95. If you really want the windows version then there are some minor differences between the DOS and Windows version that you should be aware of. The most significant may be that the windows version does not contain the deepzooming features of the latest DOS version. Here is the executable version of Fractint for Windows code version 18.21 .

The SOURCE CODE for both the DOS Fractint 19.5 version and the MS windows Winfract 18.21 version are also freely available. Fractint will compile with a few different compilers.

FRACTINT under Unix

There are two ports of Fractint to the Unix/xwindow environment. Ken Shirriff has made an X window port of Fractint. It is the most compatible version and faithfully reproduces all Fractint's keyboard commands. The most recent version is Xfractint Version 3.02 and is compatible with Fractint version 19.2 including the deepzooming and arbitrary precision math. See the separate page on XFRACTINT to get a better understanding of that implementation.

Darryl House has created a full X/motif multi-windowed version of Fractint Called XMFRACT that is currently compatible with Fractint version 18.2. It gives up a little in compatibility with Fractint and it requires the motif libraries to build properly, but it makes up for this with a nice graphical user interface. Darryl put a lot of effort into making it as much like Fractint as he could and still benefit from the extra utility the motif graphical environment can give. It has many nice features that you won't find elsewhere. It will build and execute on many unix platforms. The current version is Xmfract version 1.4. You may want to look at the readme file or download the latest distribution kit. Xmfract also has it's own Xmfract homepage maintained by Thomas Marsh, amadeus@bga.com.

FRACTINT VIA FTP AT SIMTEL MIRRORS

Fractint is also distributed via ftp on the simtel mirrors in many countries. Keith Petersen, who manages the simtel archive for Walnut Creek, has provided me with a list of reliable simtel sites. The Fractint executable is in the file frain194.zip. (The suffix 194 will change as new versions are released.) The source is in the file frasr194.zip.

The primary Simtel mirror service in the U.S. can be used to retrieve:

There are also many official Simtel mirrors in other countries. You can find Fractint and Winfract at these sites as well. They may trail a little in update time so the most current release of Fractint might not be there yet, but if transfer speed is a constraint then you might want to pick the closest site to you. Go to the site of your choice and go to the msdos/graphics sub-directories for the DOS version or the win3/graphics directory for the winfract executable and source.

OTHER WAYS TO GET FRACTINT

New versions of FRACTINT are uploaded to the CompuServe network, and make their way to other systems from that point. FRACTINT is available as two self-extracting archive files - FRAINT.EXE (executable & documentation) and FRASRC.EXE (source code).

The latest version can always be found in one of CompuServe's GO GRAPHICS forums. Alas, the GO GRAPHICS Group is growing so fast that we get moved around periodically, and rumor has it that yet another move is imminent. To remedy this, the GO GRAPHICS staff have provided the alias GO FRACTAL, which currently points to GO GRAPHDEV. You should always be able to find us using GO FRACTAL. Fractint is located in the "Fractal Sources" library 4.

If you're not a CompuServe subscriber, but wish to get more information about CompuServe and its graphics forums, feel free to call their 800 number (800-848-8199) and ask for operator number 229.

If you don't have access to CompuServe, many other sites tend to carry these files shortly after their initial release (although sometimes using different naming conventions). Look for frainXXX.zip (executable package) and frasrXXX.zip (source), where XXX is the release number. Major releases with two digit numbers have names such as fraintnn.zip and frasrcnn.zip.

On the Internet, try the Noel Giffin's Spanky Fractal Database. Using a Web browser, go to http://spanky.triumf.ca/pub/fractals/programs/ibmpc/frainXXX.zip where XXX is the release number.

Via FTP, login to spanky.triumf.ca as ANONYMOUS, and change directories to [pub.fractals.programs.ibmpc], then download frainXXX.zip. (The directory syntax is in VAX format.)

Another site to check out is ftp.cdrom.com.

Your favorite local BBS probably carries these files as well (although perhaps not the latest versions) using naming conventions like FRA*.ZIP.

Then again, if you don't even have a modem...

In Europe, the latest versions are available from another Fractint enthusiast, Jon Horner - Editor of FRAC'Cetera, a disk-based fractal/chaos resource. Disk prices for UK/Europe are: 5.25" HD BP4.00/4.50 : 3.5" HD BP (British Pounds) 4.00/4.50. Prices include p&p (airmail to Europe). Contact: Jon Horner, FRAC'Cetera, Le Mont Ardaine, Rue des Ardaines, St. Peters, Guernsey GY7 9EU, CI, UK. Phone (44) 01481 63689. CIS 100112,1700

The X Windows port of Fractint maintained by Ken Shirriff is available via FTP from ftp://ftp.cs.berkeley.edu/ucb/sprite/xf*. You can also find the latest copy at spanky.triumf.ca. The port of Fractint to Xfractint usually follows a new Fractint version by several months.


Back to The Fractint Home Page. or back to The Fractint Index Page.

This page maintained by

Noel Giffin, TRIUMF
noel@triumf.ca