Charles' Korean Quiz Program Version 1.0 README.HTML

© 2013 Charles Wetzel

What is Charles' Korean Quiz Program?

Thank you for downloading Charles' Korean Quiz Program (CKQP) Version 1.0. CKQP is a quiz/learning program for Korean, designed for learners of the Korean language who possess very old computers (especially computers with very old versions of Windows before Windows XP). CKQP is entirely self-contained—it has its own Korean font and Korean IME, both created from scratch by me, so it does not require a Korean operating system, a Korean IME, or a Korean font, or a Hangeul card—all of these things are built-in. It allows the user to make custom word lists and quiz himself/herself on them in either Korean-to-English or English-to-Korean quiz modes. These are its system requirements:

• 4-color, 320x200 CGA graphics (almost any IBM-compatible PC released since 1981)

• DOS

• A few hundred KB of memory

• QBASIC (I do not provide QBASIC in the zip file, because that would be illegal, but just search on Google for QBASIC.EXE—I don't think Microsoft is actively seeking out sites that distribute this ancient program in the legal gray area)

• If the user is running it on a modern PC, DOSBox or another DOS emulator will be required, since Windows since Windows Vista does not generally support DOS programs using graphics. Go to <www.dosbox.com> and download DOSBox and read their documentation if running Windows Vista or higher (or Linux, or Mac OS X, or various other platforms that cannot run DOS programs natively).

• A Korean operating system, a Korean IME, and a Korean font are not required! Even a hard drive is not required!

If the user possesses a more modern computer (like Windows XP or higher), I do not, in general, recommend using CKQP for any purpose other than curiosity, because it does not use SRS (Spaced Repetition System) algorithms which can make learning much more efficient, and the interface is very clunky by modern standards.

How do I install and run the program?

1. Download KOREAN.ZIP.

2. Unzip KOREAN.ZIP.

3. Run QBASIC. Usually this involves typing “QBASIC” at the DOS prompt.

4. Click “File” and “Open.” Search for the unzipped contents of KOREAN.ZIP. Open KOREAN.BAS.

5. Press F5 to run it.

6. Once the program has been opened, select the graphics mode. Use the arrow keys and press enter to select the graphics mode. I recommend CGA Mode 1 for very old computers ('80s-era computers), and VGA Mode 13 for any computer with VGA graphics (late '80s onward). Mode 12 is the highest-resolution mode (640x480), but I do not recommend it because the text will be small and illegible and there will be lots of large, blank areas on the screen, which is ugly.

7. Then use the arrow keys to select whether to use the default word list (KOREAN.TXT) or a custom word list.

8. The program will then go to the main menu. Congratulations on having successfully started CKQP. Here is a screenshot of the main menu:

   
   

How do I add (append) a word to my word list?

1. Choose '1' on the menu (“Append”).

2. Type out the English definition of the word. Leave out commas or other strange symbols that might cause an error! Then press enter.

3. Each Korean syllable consists of a consonant and a vowel, and sometimes a final consonant (batchim). Each word in CKQP may contain up to four syllables (this is good enough for most words, but some very long words must be abbreviated).

4. For example, if one wants to type “han-guk” (Korea), first type “Definition: Korea,” then type 'h,' press enter, type 'a,' press enter, type 'n,' press enter, type 'g,' press enter, type 'u,' press enter, type 'g' (remember, the IME does not recognize sound changes, so the Korean letter gi-yeok is still 'g' even if it is at the bottom of a syllable), press enter, and then, to enter two blank syllables, type null, null, null, press enter, and then null, null, null, and press enter. See the screenshot below:

Here is another example, in which the input of “dol-ha-reu-bang,” is displayed:

How do I display the word I have just appended?

1. Choose menu option '3' (“Display”). Type the index of the word (this is a number, like '1' or '2' or '6,' in the case of the following screenshot.

2. Then press enter. The word should be displayed like so:

3. 
   Then press enter to go back to the main menu.

How do I delete or edit a word that I just appended?

1. Unfortunately, a text editor must be used. Editing/deleting cannot be done within CKQP. Exit QBASIC and use a text editor to delete or edit the entry. Then restart CKQP.

2. Note that each entry in the text file consists of two parts: an English definition (which is in plain text) and four numbers, usually with one space before the four numbers, one after, and two spaces between each number. These numbers are Unicode numbers. CKQP does not require any Unicode support on the computer on which it is being run, but it still uses Unicode numbers internally to store Hangeul.

3. For example, the entry for “Korea” looks like this:

   Korea

   54620 44397 0 0

How do I exit Charles' Korean Quiz Program?

1. Choose '3' on the menu. Then press enter.

2. This will put the user back in QBASIC. Click on “File” and click on “Exit.”

How do I quiz myself?

1. Choose '4' from the menu for Korean-to-English or '5' from the menu for English-to-Korean.

2. Type the number of reps and press enter. For example, type “10” to receive ten questions, or “25” to receive 25 questions.

3. Where it displays “Quiz from: “ type the starting index. This is the first word on the list that it can possibly ask the user. For example, type '1.'

4. Where it displays “Quiz to: “ type the finishing index. This is the last word on the list that it can possibly ask the user. For example, type '5.' This number must be higher than the previous number.

5. Press enter.

6. The quiz program works on the honor system. It does not evaluate whether the user has typed something correctly or incorrectly (it is very similar to the program Anki in this respect). It will show the right answer, and then the user is responsible for checking whether it was correct or not.

7. At the end of a quiz, the user will be asked to calculate his or her score. Enter the number of questions right over the total number of questions. Then press enter to return to the menu. For example, see below:

Appendix I: IME Codes

Note: to have a blank character, just type “null,” “null,” and “null” for the first consonant, the vowel, and the final consonant, respectively. Otherwise, see the tables below:

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Actually, there are no frequently-asked questions, because nobody has actually ever asked me any of these questions. However, someone might, so here we go:

Q: This program sucks! Why did you bother to program and post it?

A: Actually, I didn't program it for public use. I wrote it for myself, when I was only a 19-year-old, and only decided to release it on my Web site later on (mostly because I'm nostalgic about this program and 2006 when I prepared to move/moved to Korea, and wanted to make sure it didn't disappear, which is unlikely to happen if I post it on my Web site). Way back in 2006, I got most of the code up and running, for my own use. I was taking evening Korean classes at Fairfax County Public Schools Adult Education (through Marshall High School) and wanted a simple quiz program so I could drill my vocabulary words. Most of the available programs at that point seemed too complicated, or had complicated dependencies (like requiring some Korean things already installed on the computer, which would preclude use on a computer without these things installed), so I wrote this myself. QBASIC was what I knew, and was often installed on computers of the period (including almost every Korean Windows XP computer) so that was what I used. I also wanted to see if I could write a Korean font that supported Unicode in an extremely small size (<40 KB). I was successful in that respect, even though the font looks ugly. Later in 2006, I went to Yonsei University Korean Language Institute. This program got me through Levels 1 and 2 of their program pretty well. However, starting in Level 3, I had a small, quick-and-dirty program that I used that was more efficient (I will probably not release this one publicly, though, because it was quite quick-and-dirty, programmed in a short amount of time and easily re-programmed, dependent on OS Hangeul support, and nothing to be proud of).

Q: How far did you get with the Korean language?

A: I eventually graduated from Yonsei University Korean Language Institute in Seoul, class of 2008, and took and passed Level 7 (post-graduation) twice. Then I passed Korean Language Proficiency Test (KLPT Level 5) in '09. That said, my Korean still leaves a lot to be desired, especially in the listening comprehension and vocabulary department. However, by using computer programs and writing out the words on sheets of paper, I was able to master good spelling and decent writing skills.

Q: Why does the included word list suck so much?

A: The user is supposed to make his/her own word list. The included word list is just to demonstrate the capabilities of CKQP.

Q: Why didn't you bother to compile this into a .EXE so anybody can use it?

A: Well, to do that, I'd need QuickBasic (not just QBASIC). I do not own it, so unless I resorted to piracy (which could get me in trouble), I'd have to buy it (and it's not even easy to find these days). I figured that wasn't worth it for a program that in all likelihood, few people, if any at all, besides myself, would actually use.

Q: What are the differences between the version you used back in 2006 for your own Korean studies, and this version that you released in 2013?

A: Functionally, there are virtually no differences. In 2013, I wanted it to look at least basically presentable, so I added a title screen, the ability to select a graphics mode (it had simply assumed CGA graphics before), and some error-handling capabilities. None of these things make it significantly easier for me to use, but I expect the error-handling capabilities will make it easier for the average end user to use (rather than quitting when there is bad input, the program tries to recover and report why there was an error), and with the new title screen and so forth, it is more presentable.

Q: Can I donate to you?

A: Sure. Go to my Korea Web site, click on “Contact Me,” and get my information. If I don't decide to remove that information to prevent flamers, trolls, and spammers, first, that is.

Legal Information

The user may use this program freely (not pay for it, distribute it to friends, etc.). However, it is illegal to use it for commercial purposes without prior permission from me. I am not liable for any damages that may result from the use of this program, or any damages that the user may perceive as having been caused by my program. This program is very safe and should cause no problems, but I waive all liability should a problem arise.