I started Zen Dog Software as an outlet for software that I love to create and wish to share with the world. I enjoy exploring the boundary
between pure order and random chaos. These programs should generate art that feels familiar and may even spark memories
while at the same time act in unexpected ways that hold your attention to see what is going to happen next.
I've been writing computer graphic programs since the early 1980's, starting with an Atari 800 computer, and have always been fascinated by how
relatively simple formulas can create unexpectedly beautiful and often surprising images that appear to go beyond their programming.
In 1986 I had written a
Mandelbrot generator on the university's VAX mainframe which was able to create a 512 x 512 image in 256 colors that "only" took 20 minutes
to generate. Using today's computers, you can watch high definition fractals eight times that size, in millions of colors appear on
your screen in seconds with Zen Mandelbrot.
Zen Light started out as Snoqualmie from Syntrillium Software back in 1997. This version is much improved over the original
Snoqualmie with more intense colors, smoother flowing patterns, and vastly greater variety in possible designs.
My audio interestests started when writing Cool Edit in 1991 (for DOS), which I quickly converted to Windows 3.1 later that year and
made publicly available on bulliten board sites in early 1992. Try out my Zen Music and Zen Chime Box iPhone apps (which will continue to be updated),
where I've been experimenting with various sound synthesis methods, touch input, Accelerometer input, etc.
I hope you find as much enjoyment out of using these programs as I have had writing them!
