Fractal-generating software
Fractal generating software are computer programs that generate fractals.
Most people generate fractals as a hobby or interest, for esthetic rather than mathematical reasons, as many of the images produced are both complex and beautiful. Although it is possible to produce fractals by hand, in practise a computer is required. As well as a computer one needs fractal generating software. There are hundreds of fractal generating programs available, some free, some commercial. Among the best-known programs are Fractint, Ultrafractal, XenoDream, Tierazon, FractalExplorer, Apophysis, Sterling, and QuaSZ. [1] No mathematical knowledge is required to use these programs; rather it is a matter of using graphics software to make fractal art.
The programs available range from simple ones that allow zooming into the Mandelbrot Set to highly complex programs such as UltraFractal. The basic procedure of fractal creation is to select an algorithm (in some cases only one is available) and then draw the fractal it produces. Afterwards, the main operation is zooming in. Typically, one chooses the most interesting or complex part of the image to enlarge. There are many other modifications that can be made to a fractal image, such as changing the way in which it renders or altering its colors. The possibilities vary greatly from program to program. All programs allow the user to save the images created as jpg or other graphical files. Fractal generating programs typically also save fractal images as parameter files, making it possible to modify a previously created image. In addition to still images, some programs, such as Tierazon, allow the user to create fractal movies, which show how the image is zoomed into.
What distinguishes a good program from a mediocre one are the richness and complexity of the images one can produce with it. The program should create complex patterns with rich detail and interesting structure, as opposed to random-looking blotches. It should use 24-bit color (also called 'true color') rather than 256 colors. The program should create images whose color varies continuously rather than discretely and produce a variety of colors and textures, as opposed to solid blocks of color, dotty images, or silhouettes.
A good program offers a variety of algorithms giving different types of fractals, preferably allowing one to specify one's own formulas. It should offer color alteration, the use of filters to produce different effects (perhaps completely changing how the fractal looks) and other ways of manipulating the image. Unless the program is much better than the free fractal generators available, there seems little point in paying for it, though one may be willing to put up with being nagged to register. There are many high-quality freeware programs.
External links
A large list of fractal generators [1]