Mandelbrot Explorer ~ v3.4
OS: Win
author: J. R. Oakley
url: https://www.mandel.org.uk
Mandelbrot Explorer is a simple tool to explore the Mandelbrot set. The module to create the images and modify their parameters is quite simple, since it comes with only a few options. As such, it won’t let you create stunning artistic pictures, but more likely pure fractal examples. Maybe it’s because I’m not too familiar with the program (and I didn’t read the documentation), but I didn’t like the tool to edit the color palettes (actually I didn’t like it at all). Otherwise, it’s a nice generator.
Last revision: December 2016
Mandelbrot on Cocoa ~ v3.52
OS: MacOS X
author: SADA
url: http://hp.vector.co.jp
Mandelbrot on Cocoa is a simple fractal program to generate Mandelbrot-related fractals. It is easy to use, but it’s also too simple. It is more like an exploration tool, since it lacks the filters and algorithmic routines on most of today’s generators. You can zoom and unzoom at will, and images can be saved at the window resolution, so if you want a larger picture, just drag the window border until it is as big as you like, then save your pic in PNG format. (Universal binary).
Last revision: 1 January 2006.
ManpWin ~ v6.001
OS: Win
author: Paul de Leeuw
url: http://www.deleeuw.com.au/
Another Windows version of FractInt. It’s an eternal work in progress, but unlike the previous WinFract, this one is a 32-bit application with true color and animation support. A 64-bit version is also available. Images can be saved as PNG files. FractInt color maps and parameters files seems to be compatible with this program.
Last revision: 08 July 2023.
Neptune & Triton ∼ v1.1.0
OS: Win/Linux
author: Mark R. Eggleston
url: https://element90.wordpress.com
Neptune can render critical point fractal images. As described by the developer: “Fractals of the Mandelbrot sort have critical points which can be used as the initial value of each location calculated using the Mandelbrot algorithm, if a value that is not a critical point is used the resulting image is distorted and often looks like it has had chunks bitten out of it such fractals is [sic] called perturbed. The Mandelbrot itself only has one critical point which is zero. The pictures produced using different critical points mostly different from each other, there can be fwer [sic] pictures produced than there are critical points, sometimes all the critical points produce the same picture. Multiple critical point fractals are produced by combining all the different pictures together in one image.” Neptune can save images, called seeds, as PNG files. Then, you can import the seeds in Triton to create and save images of an even larger size. I don’t know why these two programs aren’t integrated in a single unit, but that’s the way they work (both applications come in one package and install automatically). I do like the fact that all image’s parameters are easy to access from a secondary window, that you can open alongside the image window and keep real-time track of changes, a nice thing to learn what each variable can do. Extensive documentation available as a PDF file from the parent website.
Last revision: 21 April 2014.
QFractalNow ∼ v0.8.2
OS: Win/BSD/Linux
author: Marc Pegon
url: https://sourceforge.net
QFractalNow is a neat fractal generator that is quite fast in rendering complex pictures. It doesn’t come with a lot of fractal formulas or other special algorithms to add a thousand effects, but does its job pretty well. What I find quite efficient is the automatic anti-aliasing applied when exporting pictures; I think it does a better job than most fractal generators. I usually render images 3-5 times larger than I actually need, and then downsample in a graphics editor for anti-aliasing because the result is always better; not needed with this one. Props on that.
Last revision: 28 October 2017
Raimuraito ~ v1.7
OS: Win9x/Me
author: Yasuo Kamei
url: http://www.ab.cyberhome.ne.jp
Raimuraito is a new fractal generator that can produce some very unique and interesting pictures. It’s still in its very early stages of development (so it has a few bugs and is quite slow), but judging by what it can already do (using flowers, fishes, rings and other methods to contour the fractal figures), there’s a lot to be expected once it reaches maturity. Certainly, one generator to keep an eye on.
Last revision: 11 February 2002.
Saturn & Titan ∼ v4.2.1
OS: Win/Linux
author: Mark R. Eggleston
url: https://element90.wordpress.com
Saturn is the older brother of Neptune (I’m strickly speaking about fractal generators), and as such can generate fractal pictures. Notice: Don’t judge the program by the screenshot included in here: it’s just an image created to adorn the screen capture, not to demonstrate Staurn’s full potential. Just visit its website to take a look at better sample images. Saturn can save images, called seeds, as PNG files. Then, you can import the seeds in Titan to create and save images of an even larger size. I don’t know why these two programs aren’t integrated in a single unit, but that’s the way they work (both applications come in one package and install automatically). I do like the fact that all image’s parameters are easy to access from a secondary window, that you can open alongside the image window and keep real-time track of changes, a nice thing to learn what each variable can do. Extensive documentation available as a PDF file from the parent website.
Last revision: 2014.
Sterling2 ~ v1
OS: Win
author: Stephen C. Ferguson & Tad Boniecki
url: http://soler7.com
Sterling2 is a derivative work of Stephen C. Ferguson’s Sterling-ware fractal generator and Tad Boniecki’s particular collection of 50 new fractal formulas to produce a myriad of different images unique to this program, but superimposed –so to speak– over the original software (they feel and look identical). Contrary to Ferguson’s generators of the same name (still freeware but requiring a membership payment to access the collection), this one is freely available from Boniecki’s website.
Last revision: 11 October 1999.
TS Fractal Explorer ~ v3.01 beta
OS: Win9x/NT/Me/XP
author: Sergei Dolgov
url: http://home.onego.ru
This is a fractal generating program that uses the TS Graphics Library v1.0 beta (as if that were important) to plot its images. It’s pretty simple and slow. Images, which doesn’t look that good, can be saved as BMP files. May have some secrets deep inside that I haven’t discovered. No documentation.
Last revision: 07 June 1998.
Windows Chaos Image Generator ~ v2.00
OS: Win9x/NT/2000
author: Thomas Hövel
url: http://www.th-soft.com
WinCIG is another very simple Mandelbrot set generator that is very easy to use. Most of its processes are automated, so users only have to use the mouse to draw a little rectangle to cover the region they want to zoom in. Automatically, a small window with some extra parameters will pop-up, allowing the modification of any value. It also comes with a palette editor. Images can be saved in BMP format.
Last revision: 19 August 2002.
GNU Xaos ~ v4.3.1
OS: Platform Independent
author: Thomas Marsh and Jan Hubicka
url: https://xaos-project.github.io
alt: http://sourceforge.net
XaoS is a real-time fractal zoomer that can calculate Mandelbrot and other fractals significantly fast and on the go. Supports palette changing, and the images can be saved in PNG format. New version is only available as a platform independent package (that is, same package for multiple operating systems, specifically: Windows, BSD, Mac and Linux). It’s an open source project, so the source code is also available. The Windows package seems to be 32-bit only, while all others are 64-bit.
Last revision: 08 October 2023.