REVIEW OF RIM 3.0 (ROBO ICON MANAGER)
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   by Chris J. Duke, Author of RIM

    Yes, this is what it looks like: A review of my own product.  It
can be possible, if the Author can put himself in the correct objective
state of mind!
    Robo Icon Manager (RIM) 3.0, as developed and programmed by Chris J.
Duke is an brilliant addition to the successful Robo-Board bulletin
board software by Seth Hamilton.  RIM's basic features include the ability
to merge icon libraries, extract icons, view up to 4 icons at once on the
screen, add, insert, delete, swap, copy, combine, flip, clear, floodfill,
and rotate icons as well as a host of additional features.
    The user interface is very user-friendly and is filled with on-line
help available through the use of the F1 key as well as side-bar help
screens.  Pop-up windows abound and many complex tasks like selecting
colors is simplified through easy to use color selection boxes.  There
is no need to remember color numbers, it's all visual.  The logic has
also been built into the color selector so the user can, instead of
selecting the color with the arrow keys, simply type in the number
representing the desired color.
    Registered users of RIM can enjoy the ability to view up to 4 icons
on the screen at a time while unregistered users can only view up to 2
icons at a time.  There are also some additional features built into
the software only available to registered users such as the ability to
swap, combine, copy, and visually tag icons to be extracted.  The ability
to extract icons by numbers is available to the unregistered user from
the main prompt, but if you don't want to have to write down which number
represents which icon, then this feature is very handy.  Registration for
RIM 3.0 is only $15 US and $20 CANADA, well worth its powerful features.
    The bad news.  Well, there aren't really too many stones to throw
at this product.  There are a few drawbacks which the author hopes to
include in the next version, discussed later.  The speed of the icons
being displayed on the screen is slower than the Robo-Icon utility.
This is the language's fault, Clipper.  Clipper's screen writes could
use some performance enhancements.  RIM does not include mouse support,
but hopes to have it in the near future.  There are no grid lines, as in
the Robo-Icon utility... and this can be a pro or a con to you depending
on your preferences.  The only other drawback of using a text-based product
like RIM is that you cannot preview the icon on-screen in actual form as
you can with the Robo-Icon utility.  These drawbacks are scheduled to be
cured in subsequent releases of RIM.
    What's next?  Well, hopefully mouse support, faster screen display,
and perhaps it will soon be operating entirely in graphics mode as opposed
to text mode.  The ability to view and edit up to 6 icons on the screen
is also in the works.
    In summary, if you are actively creating icons for your Robo-Board
and find that the Robo-Icon editor is restrictive, do yourself a favor
and register this product.  Its powerful features will ease many of your
icon creating woes.  Also, if you find yourself creating images out of
multiple icon images, like the birthday candle icons that come with
Robo-Board, RIM is a MUST.
    RIM 1.0 was the first 3rd-party product for Robo-Board and is even
enjoyed and used by the author of Robo-Board, Seth Hamilton.