Editing Remote Imaging Protocol (section)

{{short description|Scripting language}}
[[File:HOUND.RIP.png|thumb|A brown dog is "looking for those RIP conferences..."  RIP Graphics image by John Kwasnik.]]
The '''Remote Imaging Protocol''' and its associated  '''Remote Imaging Protocol Script''' language, '''RIP''scrip''''', is a [[Vector graphics markup language|graphics language]] that provides a system for sending [[vector graphics]] over low-bandwidth links, notably [[modem]]s. It was originally created by Jeff Reeder, Jim Bergman, and Mark Hayton of TeleGrafix Communications in [[Huntington Beach, California]] to enhance [[bulletin board system]]s and other applications.

RIPscrip was introduced in 1992 and consisted of [[ASCII|ASCII-text]] descriptions of vector-drawn graphics and images, along with facilities to create [[Menu (computing)|menus]] and clickable buttons. These were sent from the BBS instead of the more common [[ANSI art|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]]. Lines of text appeared in one display, graphics in another. RIPscrip could not be used as the basis for a complete [[Graphical user interface|GUI]], as it included no text editing system.

RIPscript 1.5x was a text-based wrapper around the [[Borland Graphics Interface]] (BGI){{original research inline|date=January 2020}}. Drawing primitives all relied on the BGI, fonts were limited to those provided by the BGI (*.CHR).  RIPscrip icon (.ICN) file format was that of the BGI getImage() and putImage() functions. The choice to include the BGI flood fill function was considered by many<ref>{{Cite web |title=Borland Graphics Interface (BGI) Documentation |url=https://home.cs.colorado.edu/~main/bgi/doc/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=home.cs.colorado.edu}}</ref> to be a mistake, as third-party implementations of the RIPscrip protocol often failed{{fact|date=January 2020}} to implement Bezier curves the same way Telegrafix had, thus leading to the flood fill leaking out of the intended object and filling the entire screen. Telegrafix never published their Bezier algorithm or a complete RIPscrip specification, thus forcing{{original research inline|date=January 2020}} developers wishing to implement RIPscrip to purchase Telegrafix's expensive{{according to whom|date=January 2020}} developers kit, containing pre-compiled BGI wrapper DLLs{{original research inline|date=January 2020}}.

Early versions of RIPscrip were tightly tied to the EGA 640×350 [[Enhanced Graphics Adapter|EGA]] standard and had a decidedly [[MS-DOS]]-like feel. Later versions provided [[resolution independence]] (after a fashion), expanded color palettes, and the ability to work over [[telnet]] for Internet access.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} By this time public access to the [[World Wide Web]] caused interest in [[bulletin board system]]s to rapidly decline, resulting in the eventual end of RIPscrip development and the company. Although RIPscrip 2.0 was released and 3.0 was planned,<ref>{{Citation |last=Reeder |first=Jeff |title=RIPscrip 3.0 Technical White Paper |date = 1996-12-06 |url=http://www.bbsdocumentary.com/library/PROGRAMS/GRAPHICS/RIPSCRIPT/whitepap.htm |website=The BBS Library |access-date=28 January 2015}}</ref> the most common version of RIPscrip in actual use was the 1.5x series.

Vector image standards which are present on the [[World Wide Web]] today that draw some similarities include [[Adobe Flash]] and [[SVG]].