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HOP is a
DOS program.
(It was written for, and runs under, the MS-DOS operating system.)
What? Why is HOP a DOS program?
HOP was also, so to speak, positioned next to the most popular fractal generator of all time, Fractint. Even today, Fractint is still a DOS program - the considerable processing resources that would be necessary for Windows logic can be put to much better use: to speed up calculation.
This is also one of the reasons why HOP is still a DOS program. On the other hand, DOS is dead - many of today's computer users have never seen a C:\> prompt, and for good reason: the newer Windows versions have set new standards for usability, hardware compatibility, and even ease of programming.
The main reason why no Windows version of HOP exists is that I don't have the time to write it. I'm actually looking for experienced programmers who'd like to contribute to the creation of a Windows-based (or even a hybrid Mac/Windows) version. Please contact me if you are interested.
Even in DOS, because there weren't any hardware compatibility norms, there is a small but existing chance that HOP won't run on your computer because it can't work with your computer's video hardware. Or rather, because your computer isn't HOP compatible.
If you want, download and run the small HOP compatibility check program from the download page to find out before downloading HOP itself.
When the first HOP version was conceived and written (1994), DOS was still a very popular, well-supported, and fast operating system, while Windows was still a relatively new operating system which was less supported, less popular, very complicated to program, and ate up most of the processing power which HOP needed for real-time animation.
HOP should run (interactively and as a screensaver) under native DOS and in DOS sessions under older Windows versions and OS/2 (see chart). Newer Windows versions don't run native DOS, so it is not very likely that Hop will run here.
Use a DOS emulator software
April 2006 - Good news:
Long time Hop user Roberto Morassi has found a
freeware DOS emulator
that enables many operating systems to open a DOS window. (Hop runs fine under that emulator on my XP machine.)
Try it if you use an operating system which normally would not allow DOS.
Unless you use a DOS emulator, this is HOP's operating system compatibility:
Operating System HOP feels at home depending on ... DOS probably HOP needs a HOP compatible video hardware. Download the small compatibility check program to make sure that HOP will run on your PC. You also need at least 525k of free conventional DOS memory Windows 3.x Windows 95/98 OS/2 Windows NT/2000/XP unlikely The newer Windows versions are not very patient with DOS programs.
HOP might actually run for a while, but it will eventually be kicked out by the system.all others not at all I'm truly sorry, Mac/Unix/Atari/Amiga users ...