Possibilities - Graphics and TBBS

Contact:   eSoft, Inc. (Makers of TBBS)
           15200 E. Girard Ave., Suite 3000
           Aurora, CO  80014
           (303) 699-6565      Voice
           (303) 699-6872      Fax
           (303) 699-8222      BBS
           support@esoft.com   E-Mail

GRAPHICS AND TBBS
-----------------

*** From August 1993 Possibilities Newsletter ***
*** Copyright 1993 by eSoft, Inc.  All Rights Reserved ***

Graphics and TBBS
by Phil Becker

The desire for online graphics has been present as long as people have been 
connecting to computers with modems.  It is driven by the feeling that a 
graphical, mouse driven interface will allow more people to use online 
services by making them less intimidating and more "intuitive".  In 
addition, there is a basic human emotional connection to graphical
interfaces because they allow visual expressions which connect with the 
artistic level in all of us (the "it's neat" factor).

The development of online graphics has accelerated rapidly during the past 
year as technology has removed many of the fundamental barriers that had 
stood in the way.  Faster modems make it realistic to move amounts of data 
that were previously out of the question while the advance of display 
technology has made it possible to assume a much wider installed base of 
high resolution color displays.  At the raw technological level, things 
which had only been dreams a few years ago are now becoming possible.

At the same time, the frustration level of those who want to implement 
online graphic applications is nearing an all time high.  It was one thing 
when it just couldn't be done.  It is another when the raw technol- ogy is 
present, but packaged applications are not.  And that is the current state 
of the online graphics world.

The fundamental remaining problems stem from the fact that online graphics 
is a classic "client/server" application.  The BBS is the server, and the 
user's terminal software and computer are the client.  Both must cooperate 
to accomplish the task.  Simple client protocols (such as ANSI color, IBM 
character graphics, and ASCII alphabets) are so widely implemented today 
that we can assume everyone has them.  But there is no equivalent installed 
base of "assumable client software" which provides mouse support, graphical 
displays, or photo imaging online.  The result is that any online graphic 
application is extremely difficult to implement, involves a great deal of 
custom interface design, many tradeoffs and ends up being a custom 
application.

NAPLPS...

A couple of years ago NAPLPS looked like it would become the type of 
standard that would pave the way for the development of design and client 
tools for online graphics.  It is an ANSI standard, a CCITT standard, 
Prodigy was built using it, and NAPLPS handled presentation graphics well.  
But it was a display standard only, and had no provisions for mouse driven 
input from the user.  The success of Windows has made mindlessly clicking a 
mouse the preferred "simple input" method and without this capability NAPLPS 
was at a disadvantage.  NAPLPS still has to standardize on methods to handle 
such input to become the solution users seek.

RIP...

At last year's ONE BBSCON, Telegrafix showed a protocol called RIP which 
handles mouse input well.  In the year since that show, RIP has created one 
of the largest "buzzes" the online world has ever seen.  Several terminal 
programs either now have or soon will implement RIP protocol, and nearly 
every BBS software manufacturer has rushed to release versions of their 
software which can support RIP.  The presentation portion of RIP is anemic, 
with low resolution and dependence on specific hardware.  It also is lacking 
several capabilities that a robust protocol should have to meet user's 
needs.  But these disadvantages may well be offset in the public's opinion 
if a usable standard emerges.  RIP doesn't address photo imaging or other 
high resolution online applications, but it can make the online interface 
much more "user friendly".

How Hard is it?

RIP is not different from any graphics protocol in requiring you to design 
the screens you want to present.  Today, RIP graphics have only one design 
tool -- RIPaint by Telegrafix.  This program is very difficult to use, and 
requires an exorbitant amount of time to design even simple screens.  It 
does work, and at present it's all there is, but RIP screen design takes a 
lot of time and is hard work.

The TBBS "RIP Kit"...

The design of TBBS makes it a natural fit for graphics technology, 
especially RIP.  You can integrate RIP into TBBS more completely than any 
other BBS software allows today.  Since it is so difficult to create the RIP 
screens, and design all of the interactions that complete integration into a 
BBS requires, eSoft has designed a "RIP Kit" which does most of this for 
you.

We will be demonstrating this group of files at ONE BBSCON, and they will be 
available shortly afterwards.  You will still need to spend the time to 
customize them to your BBS, but they should allow you to experiment with RIP 
graphics with far less effort.  Plus you can easily see what full 
integration of RIP into TBBS looks like to evaluate whether you want to 
expend your efforts in that direction.

We will provide this "RIP Kit" for only $25 so that the maximum number of 
people can judge RIP graphics for themselves.  Note that you will still need 
to buy RIPaint from Telegrafix if you want to modify these files or design 
your own screens.  That program costs nearly $200 and is not available from 
eSoft.

Other Graphics Technologies...

While RIP is causing a lot of excited talk online, many other technologies 
are quietly advancing to solve other online graphics problems.  JPEG 
compression, Fractal imaging, and many other technologies are starting to 
move from the lab into products which allow you to solve online graphics and 
imaging problems.

At this year's ONE BBSCON eSoft will be demon- strating several of these 
technologies integrated with TBBS.  If last year's experience with RIP is 
any indica- tion, the world of online graphics will be quite different the 
day after ONE BBSCON than it was the day before.  TBBS is the best platform 
in the BBS industry today on which to experiment with and develop online 
graphics applications.  At ONE BBSCON we will use real TBBS systems to 
demonstrate that it has a range of graphics capability that nothing else on 
the market can equal.

- END -
PS0893-3
Rev. 8/93

Copyright (C) 1994 eSoft, Inc., All Rights Reserved.  Permission granted
to distribute this file in its entirety, without modification, to any
interested party.  Any other use requires the written permission of
eSoft, Inc.

IMPORTANT:  The information herein is subject to change without notice.
Please call or write to confirm factual information of importance to you
or your organization.

