In http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=00077T :

textbooks are dull and boring. How about having a little fun every once in a while?

This program looks very much like Heisig's book. What's different?

-- Chris Houser (houser@kinjo-u.ac.jp), August 28, 1998

Answers

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your question - a very valid one at that. In fact, what inspired me on this project in the first place were the limitations of the printed matter. For example, 1) where to write the little "stories" for each kanji? If you'd seen the sorry scribble that passes for my handwriting, I'm sure you'd understand. 2) The program provides easy way to look up a kanji via it's components. For example, if you see a kanji with "thread", and "metal", in it, you can just enter those words in the search box, and voila! Up pops a list of all kanji matching that criteria. 3) Automated flashcarding. The computer "flips" the cards FOR you, in accordance with your specification. Let's see a textbook do that!

-- Mark D. (mcd@kanjisoft.com), August 29, 1998.