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Download Beta 5

This is the current release as a Windows Installer package.

Release Plan

The farther out a release is on this plan, the more flexible and vague are the goals.

Iterated Dynamics 1.0

• do some more code cleanup, but not any radical restructuring:
• convert from C to C++
• replace single-line /* */ comments with // comments
• replace chained multiple assignments with multiple single assignments
• replace use of char* strings with std::string
• eliminate crazy memory casting/aliasing that was done because of impoverished DOS execution environment
• replace int 0/1 with bool
• name all the magic values with enums or consts
• split multiple declarations (int i, j;) into multiple single declarations (int i; int j;)
• localize variable declarations to their first use
• localize variables to for and if scope
• initialize all variables
• replace (void) argument lists with empty argument lists ()
• replace C-style casts with C++ cast operators
• eliminate unnecessary struct decorations on types
• write numeric constants directly instead of casting
• replace use of malloc and free with standard library containers
• eliminate use of MemoryAlloc and memory.cpp
• replace fixed-size arrays with std::vector
• remove debug flag code
• eliminate integer math code?
• fix these issues
• restore mouse support
• eliminate the use of curses in the X11 version
• get the minimal X11 code working similar to the way the Win32 code is working with a CGA color style 'text window' instead of curses
• change all references from 'fractint' to 'iterated dynamics', except when talking about history
• eliminate 286/287, 386/387, 486/487 and pentium code paths
• automated regression suite based on reference images from the DOS version
• clean report from cppcheck
• clean report from clang static analyzer
• replace Driver struct with an interface and derived classes
• replace monolithic externs.h and prototyp.h with module-oriented headers.
• deprecate legacy parameters:
• tplus
• noninterlaced
• maxcolorres
• pixelzoom
• warn
• gif87a
• iterincr
• tweaklzw
• minstack
• video
• askvideo
• printer
• printfile
• rleps
• colorps
• epsf
• title
• translate
• plotstyle
• halftone
• linefeed
• comport
• promote this project
• use C++11, but no boost
• exception: allow unit testing with use Boost.Test, but don't use Boost in the implementation. Rationale: don't cripple ourselves without a testing framework, but don't make too radical a change in the code base for this release

Iterated Dynamics 2.0

• allow use of boost
• separate UI from application logic
• switch to OpenGL for all pixel and primitive rendering operations
• switch UI from polling to event-driven
• switch to a wxWidgets based UI with a 'CGA text window' wxWidgets component to handle the text screens

Iterated Dynamics 3.0

• replace the major CGA text window options screens with wxWidgets dialogs
• replace crazy homebrew complex types/math with C++ std::complex<>
• replace homebrew bignum with boost multiple precision library with GNU GMP/mpfrcpp backend
• lots of automated testing needed here to ensure that the math isn't messed up. Maybe a clang refactoring tool could do some of the transformations. Not sure.

Iterated Dynamics 4.0

• replace homebrew formula parser with one based on Boost.Spirit
• recast existing fractal types as C++ algorithms operating on std::complex<T> to enable arbitrary precision on them
• recast existing fractal types as GPU shaders