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I'm trying to remember the name of a DOS program I had in about 1990-1992. It used an iterated function system to generate fractal graphics with affine self-similarity, with the classic example being the Barnsley fern.

Input was by sketching a prototype that would define the transformation. This could be a very simple prototype, e.g. two line segments of different length and rotation.

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    Could you explain what you mean by a "vector" fractal generator? Commented Oct 6 at 23:58
  • Maybe VistaPro? Commented Oct 7 at 0:08
  • @AJM Edited to clarify. Commented Oct 7 at 13:18

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On MS-DOS (on a 386 with 387 co-processor), I remember using some freeware called FractInt:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractint

I can't recall sketching a starting state though

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    Fractint was indeed the reference for fractal generation on DOS, but it’s not a vector generator, and as you say it doesn’t allow sketching a starting state. Commented Oct 6 at 18:59
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    Although it can draw Barnsley ferns using its IFS system. Commented Oct 6 at 21:04
  • @StephenKitt IFS is the key, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't Fractint. I think program I'm remembering did only IFS, not other types of fractals like Mandelbot or Julia. Commented Oct 7 at 13:14
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    IFS is one kind of fractals generated this way, while L-systems are more "vector" like. You might research into L-system based generators as well. I've seen L-system generators used as programming exercises multiple times in the 90s, so I expect there to be a lot of hobbyist L-system implementations, and it might be difficult to find the one you are referring to. Commented Oct 8 at 11:34
  • @MichaelKarcher Thanks for the tip. After reviewing the difference between L-Systems and IFS, I think the program I remember used L-Systems. Commented Oct 9 at 19:35
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fdesign?

Described here with a tiny screenshot.

It’s available from Simtelnet; here are a couple of screenshots, first of the main screen:

Main FDESIGN screen, showing the rendered fractal and the main menu

second of the designer:

FDESIGN design screen, showing the triangle manipulation menu and the rendered preview

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    I think this might be it but my memory of the interface is a bit hazy. I'll wait before accepting in case someone else answers. Commented Oct 7 at 16:32

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