Idle Times

A little author. A lot of personality.

Meet Bob — Robert V. Ussley, the author behind Outside In Print, brought to life as a desktop companion. He reads, writes and checks his facts while you get on with your day. Bring your cursor closer, and you might become his next distraction.

Three views. Eight original lo-fi tracks. 114 illustrated rewards to collect.

Keep him beside your work

Choose the view that fits your desktop:

• Mini Companion: a compact, always-on-top newsroom beside your other windows.
  
• Pet Bob: Bob steps out of the room and onto your desktop, ready to be picked up, moved and played with.
  
• Full Desk: settle into his warmly lit newsroom and watch the next edition take shape.

Switch views whenever you like, keeping your progress and music with you.

Progress continues while a companion view is visible. Hiding or dismissing Bob pauses his work; there is no offline progression.

Give him a little attention

Bob follows your nearby cursor, grabs on when you pick him up, and sticks the landing when you let go. Lend him the pointer for his signature or tempt his shadow into a dance. Between interruptions, he returns to his reading, writing and fact-checking.

Choose Excited or Relaxed activity to set the pace of his Pet animations.

Find your track on JUKE-BOB

Open his miniature jukebox and flip through its old-fashioned song cards. Choose from eight original lo-fi tracks by Robby V and the Paper Boys, adjust the volume, and settle in. Bob may even lean against the cabinet with a cheerful whistle.

Watch your collection grow

As Bob finishes editions, illustrated rewards join your gallery. Collect 114 prints across themed collections, from everyday encouragement and reflections to editorial cartoons about social and political life.

Click and drag to explore the prints, scroll between collections, and open an illustration for a closer look. Your collected prints and reading progress carry across all three views.

Meet the writer behind the desk

Outside In Print is the independent publishing home of Robert V. Ussley's essays, dialogues and reflections. Follow a collected print to its optional source article, which opens on Outside In Print in your browser.