Iconizer: An Introduction

Iconizer is a tool to allow strange attractors to be investigated from a computational, mathematical and artistic point of view. This viewpoint was first explored by Michael Field and Martin Golubitsky in their book Symmetry in Chaos. This coffee-table book is packed with beautiful illustrations. Many can be reproduced by Iconizer. First published in 1992, Symmetry In Chaos was reprinted as a second edition in August 2009. In the intervening seventeen years, computers have become more powerful. Iconizer is an up-to-date RISC OS software package for exploring the world of the strange attractors known as symmetric Icons. It enables those with a curious mind to go beyond the book.

The contents of this Users' Guide are listed below. This is the order in which items appear in Iconizer's main menu. It's also a logical order in which to read through what Iconizer can do and how it may be used to maximum effect.

• Getting started - How to generate an image.


• Colour mappings - Applying colour to an image.


• Contrast - Adjusting the exposure of an image.


• Sample image - Professional art from Iconizer.


• Canvas wash - Background colour for an image.


• Examples - Twenty-four data sets to play with.


• Make data - Exporting high resolution data.


• Save image - Keeping images and data files.


• Conclusions - Taking the investigation further.

Possibly as low as 32MB RAM. StrongARM Risc PC or better.

The Iconizer software package is written by Martin Hansen and published by The MathMagical Software Company. The software runs natively on RISC OS hardware such as the Iyonix, the A9, or the Risc PC. Under emulation it may be used on Microsoft windows or Apple computers. A commercial RISC OS emulator is sold by Virtual Acorn.

This is Issue 1 of the Iconizer Users' Guide, released 20th February 2010.