Remote imaging protocol
Encyclopedia
The Remote Imaging Protocol Scripting Language, more commonly known as the Remote Imaging Protocol or RIPscrip, is a scripting language
created by Jeff Reeder, Jim Bergman, and Mark Hayton (founders of TeleGrafix Communications
) to enhance bulletin board system
s and other applications.
RIPscrip was introduced in 1993 and consisted of ASCII-text
descriptions of vector-drawn graphics and images, along with facilities to create menus
and clickable buttons. These were sent from the BBS instead of the more common ANSI
color-coded text-mode screens, and were interpreted on the user's end by a RIP-enabled terminal program such as TeleGrafix's own RIPTerm which could draw them at a 640x350 EGA
resolution. Several utilities, including RIPaint and Tombstone Artist could be used to create RIP screens. RIP, however, failed to catch on, and was soon forgotten as the online community made the wholesale migration from BBS systems to the Internet
and World Wide Web
with its improved (and more cross-platform) graphic capabilities.
TeleGrafix later introduced newer versions of the RIPscrip standard in an effort to enhance Web browsing and telnet
communications, but failed at these attempts. Vector image standards which are present on the web today that draw some similarities include Macromedia Flash and SVG
. The version of RIPscrip which was actually in use amongst BBSes during the early to mid 1990s was version 1.54.
Scripting language
A scripting language, script language, or extension language is a programming language that allows control of one or more applications. "Scripts" are distinct from the core code of the application, as they are usually written in a different language and are often created or at least modified by the...
created by Jeff Reeder, Jim Bergman, and Mark Hayton (founders of TeleGrafix Communications
TeleGrafix Communications
TeleGrafix Communications, Inc. was a software company in Huntington Beach, California that developed the Remote Imaging Protocol, the RIPscrip scripting language, the RIPterm terminal emulator, and the RIPaint authoring tool. TeleGrafix published the Remote Imaging Protocol specification in 1991....
) to enhance bulletin board system
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
s and other applications.
RIPscrip was introduced in 1993 and consisted of ASCII-text
ASCII
The American Standard Code for Information Interchange is a character-encoding scheme based on the ordering of the English alphabet. ASCII codes represent text in computers, communications equipment, and other devices that use text...
descriptions of vector-drawn graphics and images, along with facilities to create menus
Menu (computing)
In computing and telecommunications, a menu is a list of commands presented to an operator by a computer or communications system. A menu is used in contrast to a command-line interface, where instructions to the computer are given in the form of commands .Choices given from a menu may be selected...
and clickable buttons. These were sent from the BBS instead of the more common ANSI
ANSI art
ANSI art is a computer art form that was widely used at one time on BBSes. It is similar to ASCII art, but constructed from a larger set of 256 letters, numbers, and symbols — all codes found in IBM code page 437, often referred to as extended ASCII and used in MS-DOS and Unix environments...
color-coded text-mode screens, and were interpreted on the user's end by a RIP-enabled terminal program such as TeleGrafix's own RIPTerm which could draw them at a 640x350 EGA
Enhanced Graphics Adapter
The Enhanced Graphics Adapter is the IBM PC computer display standard specification which is between CGA and VGA in terms of color and space resolution. Introduced in October 1984 by IBM shortly after its new PC/AT, EGA produces a display of 16 simultaneous colors from a palette of 64 at a...
resolution. Several utilities, including RIPaint and Tombstone Artist could be used to create RIP screens. RIP, however, failed to catch on, and was soon forgotten as the online community made the wholesale migration from BBS systems to the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
and World Wide Web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
with its improved (and more cross-platform) graphic capabilities.
TeleGrafix later introduced newer versions of the RIPscrip standard in an effort to enhance Web browsing and telnet
TELNET
Telnet is a network protocol used on the Internet or local area networks to provide a bidirectional interactive text-oriented communications facility using a virtual terminal connection...
communications, but failed at these attempts. Vector image standards which are present on the web today that draw some similarities include Macromedia Flash and SVG
Scalable Vector Graphics
Scalable Vector Graphics is a family of specifications of an XML-based file format for describing two-dimensional vector graphics, both static and dynamic . The SVG specification is an open standard that has been under development by the World Wide Web Consortium since 1999.SVG images and their...
. The version of RIPscrip which was actually in use amongst BBSes during the early to mid 1990s was version 1.54.
External links
- BBS Documentary Library's page on RIP including sample artwork, specifications and whitepapers.
- RIP graphics article with sample RIP and ANSI graphics, plus a RIP viewer which can run in a command window on Win2K and WinXP: Wayne Thomas' 1994 FreeView 1.1 (freeware).