RIPcomm BETA 0.21 (29 Sep 1994) by Michael Nelson Copyright © 1994 Finally, an Amiga RIPTERM! Well, maybe it's not the first but it is the only one with a phonebook and allows file transfers (to be fair, Amigarip was never meant to be released in the state it was, but due to "other" things, Francisco Moraes never really did anything more with the program since January 1994). I started RIPcomm because I wanted a terminal available for Amiga users (and myself), I was a beta tester for Francisco but the program's inability to do file transfers was the reason I didn't use the program much... I wanted a ripterm I could use everyday! RIPcomm was programmed in a period of one month, in my attempt to get at least one RIPTERM out there for people to start using. I also have another shareware program which I have spent a considerably longer amount of time developing, that program is a RIPscrip editor (RIPGRAF). It wasn't getting much attention (or registrations) simply because they were no RIPTERMs for the Amiga. I had heard from people working on Amiga RIPTERMS, some were rumours but some people actually had working programs, which never made it to the public. Since I had all the graphics code from RIPGRAF, and some code for a terminal program I started a long time ago, so I decided to write my own. This program is shareware. It is not crippled in any way as is, but if you'd like to see it get better then please consider registering. The newest version of the RIP specifications (RIP version 2.0) is due to be released this summer (1994), I would like to add support for the new version of the protocol but I am held back by my Amiga 3000. I would be limited to 16 colours instead of 256 (on AGA) or 1.6 million (on 24 bit display cards) as that's all my computer can support. If enough people are considerate enough to register, then it would be possible for me to support the new protocol in more colours than just sixteen! If you are an AGA user and would like to use RIP in 256 colours on a 640*480 (SVGA equiva- lent) resolution, then please register otherwise all you'll get is 16 colours in a 640*400 resolution. The suggested registration fee is $15 US, but you are free to send more or less if you feel $15 US is either too much or too little. Distribution and copyright info ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RIPcomm is shareware, but the program may be freely distributed as you see fit. The program may NOT be used within any program or distributed with any commercial product without my consent. This includes BBS software companies bundling RIPcomm as it's "local RIP console", you can however inform users of this possible use of the program. If your interested in developing a true local console and need help... just make me an offer on the graphics (or any other) code. I give permission for any individual to place this COMPLETE archive into the ADS or SAN file distribution networks. Public domain libraries or archivers (like Fred Fish's) CAN include the RIPcomm archive without my knowledge as long as no unreasonable fee is charged for the RIPcomm program alone. Installation ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Click on the install icon to start the installer program (which should be on your system someplace for it to work). To manually install it just unpack the distribution archive where you want it to go, and move the fonts in the AFONTS directory to YOUR FONTS: directory, and move the xprzmodem.library to LIBS: if you don't already have it. Rename the RFONTS diretory as RIPFONTS and rename the RICONS as RIPICONS. If the BBS you calling requires special icons, get them from your sysop and place them in the RIPcomm/RIPICONS directory. The program will eventually offer separate areas for bbs icons (which could share the same icon names with other bbs's). The ICONS directory will still serve as the "common" icons area. Start the program and set your serial and port preferences and SAVE them. The program defaults to the serial.device, unit 0, 2400 baud with 8 bits, no parity and 1 stop bit. If your modem is capable of RTS/CTS handshaking I ADVISE YOU TO USE IT!!! RIP is 100% text and easily scrambled by line noise... which could garble graphics and caused buttons to "do" the wrong things when pressed. How to use the program ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Err, this is a public beta test version. Your pretty much on your own sorry, I will write full docs when the program is more complete. ;-) It should be fairly straight forward, if you've used a amiga communications program like TERM. If your calling a RIP BBS and things don't look right, then you probably need to download an archive of RIP ICONS. These are little graphics files which the program calls up from disk NOT through the modem. If RIPcomm doesn't find it, it will do what it can without it and continue on. The title bar thingy at the bottom of the screen has a gadget of a phone. When the phone looks like it's on the hook then pressing it will bring up the phonebook, after connecting with a bbs the phone will appear as off the hook, pressing it will drop DTR to disconnect. The clock on the other side is busted... it will always read 10:10 ;-) (A working clock is a low priority) Bugs and suggestions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You like the program as is, eh? Not likely, the program stills needs improvements and I'm open to ANY suggestion from ANYBODY who cares to offer me one (or more). If you have a problem with RIP scenes not rendering properly, open up a capture file (capture to disk in case of a guru or lockup) then LHA & UUENCODE amd it email it to me or upload it privately to my support bbs. New releases ~~~~~~~~~~~~ New releases will be available on my BBS... If you call the bbs more than once, I will be expecting some feedback!!! The latest releases may not get widespread distribution (in fact version #10 is the only one I've uploaded anyplace other than my bbs) Registering ~~~~~~~~~~~ The suggested registration fee is $15 US, the fee's collected will go towards the purchase of either a display card or AGA machine so I can improve the program (and my RIPGraf program) to take full advantage of the new RIP 2.0 specifications. If I don't get enough registrations, then I will not be able to support RIP 2.0 at anything better than a sixteen color NTCS Hires screen (that's the best my A3000 can do!). You can, if you want, forget about supporting the program in the hopes that someone else would be interested in writing a terminal program for AGA or 24bit card users... you could be in for a long wait though! :-/ Send your registrations to; Michael Nelson 76 OLYMPUS CT #59 Sarnia, Ontario CANADA N7S 4S7 (letters from the US to CANADA cost $0.40... $0.29 won't make it past the US postal system) A future version of the program may require a special keyfile or keyword... you will be sent one a soon as it is needed by the program, so please include your correct mailing address. I can *ONLY* accept check and money orders from the USA or CANADA, and for all others I can ONLY accept money orders! Support Sites ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is listing of RIPcomm/RIPgraf support sites. They are not guaranteed to have the most recent release, but you will be able to find someone to help you use the program. If you'd like to include your bbs as a support bbs contact me by email. CANADA------------------------------------------------------------------ RIPGRAF/RIPCOMM SUPPORT BBS Phone: 1-519-542-6788 (7 days / 24hrs / 14.4k) Sysop: Mike Nelson EMAIL: M.NELSON34@GENIE.GEIS.COM Features some online RIP demo's and menu's to look at. You can download on your first call. U.S.A------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE GATEWAY BBS * Official Amiga Report Distribution Site * Running Excelsior! BBS * Stace Cunningham, Sysop Dan Butler, CoSysop 24 hrs - 7 days InterNet: stace@tecnet1.jcte.jcs.mil FidoNet: 1:3604/60.0 601-374-2697 Hayes Optina 28.8 V.FC Biloxi, Mississippi GERMANY----------------------------------------------------------------- BBS: Support Box B.Brandes Tel: +49-30-7513247 Free Download access via Username: MERLIN; no password defined access times: Mo-Fr.: 06:30 PM to 03:00 AM Sa & Su: additionally 06:30 AM to 06:00 PM CE(D)T. (user accounts w/o any charges) AUSTRALIA--------------------------------------------------------------- /\ C O N T I N E N T A L D R I F T B B S / \ (+61) 2 949 4256 / \______ Murray Chaffer * Andre Lackmann * Dale Cohen / / \ / / \ Amiga * IBM * Macintosh / / \ : : : :\ \ /\ \ : : :800Mb+ Online - USENET News - Internet Mail :\ \ / \ \ : : Local Mail - FIDOnet Mail - Shareware Regos : :\ \/ \ \ : :Online Games - Aminet, FISH, Euro CD-ROMs : :\ / /: : : : :\ / /: : :Amiga Report * CD-32 View * Frontier Consoles \ / / * Computer underground Digest * \ /\ / \ / \ / **Online shareware registrations** \/ \/ Files daily from Aminet * ADS/SAN (you can register RIPCOMM, RIPGRAF and HYPERANSI through this bbs! -M.N. ------------------------------------------------------------------------