What's New in Kliflash For Windows

There are only two real changes in Kliflash For Windows ver. 2, as opposed to ver. 1: random word display order and a database maintenance function.

      The transition to the Windows GUI environment from DOS Kliflash meant a new screen, a new menuing system, the ability to use the mouse, and the ability to take advantage of Windows multi-tasking features.

      Moving to Windows also gave me the ability to display Klingon words and messages in pIqaD. This isn't just a case of displaying the usual transliterated text in a different font, but actually of using pIqaD to print the Klingon words. This is the original reason why I wrote Kliflash: to see meaningful Klingon text on my computer screen. I wasn't able to fully realize that goal until now. (To those who complain that pIqaD isn't really Klingon writing, that it has no official endorsement by Mark Okrand, that he has hinted that real Klingon writing is very different from pIqaD, I say, Fine, leave this feature turned off!)

      Random word display order is new for Version 2. This has become the only order for Error and Personal Lists (which seems only natural to me), and is optional for Review and Special Lists.

      I have not updated the wordlist since Version 1. There was a change in the way some of the list headers were displayed between Versions 1.0 and 1.1, but the wordlist wasn't changed at that time. Nor have I updated it for Version 2. It remains the list of 2287 words that was current as of December, 2002. Instead, I have added a new database maintenance application to allow you, the user, to keep your own copy up-to-date. You can find new words since 2002 at the Newest Words list. You can add the words, change around the study order, edit the entries, make new Special lists, and in general take total control of the Kliflash database. To use this application, open the Kliflash folder (C:\Program Files\Kliflash For Windows, if you accepted the installation default), and click on the file Klimaint.exe.

      There is one trade-off: once you start using the database maintenance functions, you will not be able to use any wordlist updates issued by me in the future. If there is a Kliflash For Windows Ver. 3 with new words, when you upgrade, you will upgrade only the Kliflash application, and any database changes will be ignored. Maintaining the database will be your responsibility.

      I would not be worried about this, if I were you. I've been working on this program in one form or another since 1996, and I think I'm ready to move on. Unless some really great idea occurs to me or we get a major influx of new words, this is probably the last distribution of Kliflash. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Terry