Chinese Toolbox 2012 (12.0.1.0)

And I thought I was going to be able to relax! As it turns out, the last 16 days have been as intense as ever. For example, after working all night on the website update, I began uploading the new installers just after 5:00 am (Taiwan time) today, and around 8:00 am the update was complete.

After releasing 12.0.0.1 I began to spend more time just to use Chinese Toolbox and work on my own reading. After a couple days and clicking in all the wrong places, I discovered a couple crashers which obviously had to be fixed ASAP. So I began poking a little more intensely and found a few other things that could be improved. If you like, view the CT 12.0.1.0 Release Notes to see what's been keeping me busy for the last two weeks.

So here you have my first shot at "trying something different" (previous post). I wasn't expecting to do an update for at least a month or so. Anyways, I hope you like this release. It looks better than ever, and it does everything as designed--at least until the next bug is found (knock on wood). Seriously though, all the years of effort are showing through in this newest edition, and it's something I'm very proud of. Check it out and let me know what you think. I appreciate constructive comments, both positive and negative. They help me do a better job the next time around.

Chinese Toolbox 2012 is released!

I'm very pleased to announce the availability of Chinese Toolbox 2012. It is always so satifying to be able to do a software release. So much effort has gone into this project, and it's with a smile on my face that I complete this phase.

Of course, there's more to come--this project will never end. I already have my list of things to do for the next update.

Regarding updates, I am going to be trying something different. Testing has become a huge part of the effort I put into this project. After completing development of a major release, testing seems to take forever. Actually, it usually takes one to three months, but these few months seem like an eternity. During the testing phase I don't develop new features, and it's development that I love. So, moving forward I plan to do releases in smaller increments, at least for new features that don't require huge architectural changes to the code. Fewer code changes in a release should translate into a shorter period of testing.

I hope you enjoy using this new version. Of course, it does not solve all the problems related to learning Chinese, but I promise to continue my effort. If you have suggestions for new features, I'm all ears; I'd love to hear from you.

Also, I am looking forward to spending more time designing a companion program for Android, mainly for review and testing. Others have developed very useful programs for mobile devices, and I'm looking forward to giving them a little competition. So, if have a wish list for an Android app for reviewing Chinese flashcards, shoot it off to me.

Finally, I just want to express my appreciation to those who support me in this project. The financial support and the positive emails are all very, very encouraging to me.

Chinese Toolbox 2012

Obviously, things didn't work out as planned. "A little more time" turned out to be about seven months. The good news is that Chinese Toolbox 2012 is about to be released. Chinese Toolbox 2012 was initially released on March 20 to a small group mainly for demonstrations. Some minor problems cropped up, so now I'm putting the program through another round of testing. Chinese Toolbox 2012 (12.0.0.1) is looking good now, and I expect to make it available for public download before the end of March. I hope you enjoy it!

Chinese Toolbox 11.1.0.0

I just want to let you all know how Chinese Toolbox is progressing. I've had lots of feedback on version 11 since releasing it in July. I have completed work on nearly all of those recommendations, and now I'm working mostly on simplifying and improving the interface. Some of the features in version 11 were designed for Chinese Toolbox FREE back in 2007 and had not been updated since, in particular, the system of review. The changes I'm currently making to the program do not require much time investment, but they will make a big difference in the useability of the program. I originally expected to release 11.1.0.0 in August, but I've recently decided to take a little more time to incorporate more of my ideas for interface improvement.

By the way, it's nice to be back in Taiwan.

Chinese Toolbox 2011 finally released!

Relief! It's finally done. I've been working on Chinese Toolbox 2011, an update of Chinese Toolbox READER 9.2, since October 2009. I had expected it to have been completed in 2010. One thing led to another; it was difficult to find a stopping point. I finally completed development of Chinese Toolbox 2011 on March 7, 2011, and until CT 11.0.0.2 was released on May 17, I was focused on testing. I use CT almost daily, and it looks very stable. Of course, if you run into any problems, you'll let me know, right?

Though I've still got a to-do list a mile long, I am very pleased with this program, and I think you'll like it too. It does not cover all the bases, but it does provide a unique system of learning to read Chinese that exists in no other product. If you'd like to know a little more about Chinese Toolbox 2011, the Overview might be the best place to start.

Chinese Toolbox 2011 is the successor of both Chinese Toolbox FREE and Chinese Toolbox READER. The way these two can be combined into a single program is through a "mode" paradigm. Chinese Toolbox 2011 running in FREE Mode is the successor of Chinese Toolbox FREE. And as its name implies, it is free to use.

More advanced functionality (much more in fact) is provided by READER Mode. The features in READER Mode are what I'm proudest of. But I guess there's a little bit of a down side, in that READER Mode is not free. I have spent more than 10 years developing Chinese Toolbox software entirely at my own expense. In order to justify continued development of this project, it must become profitable. At least the revenue should cover my additional costs of development, and not be a drain on my family.

Having said all this, I hope the $29.95 per year price tag will not drive you away. Your support will better enable me to continue developing innovative software for learning Chinese. If money is a problem, you can contribute by helping to promote Chinese Toolbox 2011. More information on promoting Chinese Toolbox 2011 can be found here. By the way, when you support this project, you receive free program updates during your entire license period. So if, for example, you purchase a 3-year license, you will be entitled to all program updates over the next three years. There will be no additional charges for updates and support during your license period.

With the exception of the license agreement, there are no strings attached to downloading Chinese Toolbox 2011, not even registration. Installation is free, too. After installing the program, you can use it for 15 days entirely free of charge. Chinese Toolbox 2011 will run in TRIAL Mode, which supports almost all the functionality of READER Mode. At any point, you can go to my PayPal page to purchase a license, or just let the trial period run out. After 15 days, you can continue to use the program in FREE Mode.

Please let me know what you think of Chinese Toolbox 2011. Even if you do not support it financially now, your critique can help me focus future development on the features that really matter.

The promotional release of Chinese Toolbox READER (version 9.2.0.0) is finally out the door! In addition to the features of Chinese Toolbox FREE, Chinese Toolbox READER features the long-awaited integration of a word dictionary.

The word dictionary is a feature I've wanted for at least seven years, since 2002. After the release of Chinese Toolbox FREE 9.1.2b in July 2009, I was finally able to set aside time to focus on integration of a word dictionary. I am pleased to announce that the CC-CEDICT word dictionary from MDBG.net is now integrated into Chinese Toolbox READER 9.2.0.0. The CC-CEDICT dictionary is community supported, so as new entries are added to the dictionary, these can be easily incorporated into Chinese Toolbox READER.

In August I had planned to do a few Alpha and Beta releases of Chinese Toolbox READER. Before the end of the first week in September, I reversed that decision, deciding to put more effort into testing and release a stable version of the product. The result is Chinese Toolbox READER 9.2.0.0.

So now I've got two free Chinese Toolbox products. Currently, there's no reason to use Chinese Toolbox FREE over Chinese Toolbox READER. All of my recent development has gone into Chinese Toolbox READER, so it is the more advanced of the two products. In early 2010 the promotional period for Chinese Toolbox READER will end, at which time some may choose to use Chinese Toolbox FREE. But at less than $30 per year, it's hard to imagine someone still wanting to use Chinese Toolbox FREE when Chinese Toolbox READER supports an integrated word dictionary, besides the features yet to be developed for the 2010 release. Still, Chinese Toolbox FREE will continue to be available.

Since my first FORTRAN coarse in college, I have just loved programming. For something even as simple as programming an algebraic equation, observing the computer do exactly what I programmed is just as exhilarating now as it was in 1981 when I wrote my first program.

I just had a similar kind of experience. In the early morning hours of August 1, I got the MDBG (CC-CEDICT) dictionary with 75,660 "word" entries loaded into computer memory via a custom designed data structure. (The remaining entries are "character" entries.)

This weekend I'll begin to incorporate this word dictionary into the interface. Hopefully, I'll have a little something to show by the end of this month.