/******************************* kf_news9.txt ******************************\ * * * Module : Kf_news9 * * Descript : KiteFlight Newsletter * * Project : KiteFlight * * Modified : 5-Apr-1997 * * * * (c) 1997 by Peter van den Hamer * * * \***************************************************************************/ KITEFLIGHT NEWSLETTER #9 by P. van den Hamer 5-Apr-97 This is the 9th issue of a newsletter with information about the PC program KiteFlight. The newsletter contains information for current users and others interested in KiteFlight. Previous issues of this Newsletter can be found via the KiteFlight home page (see below for URL). Contents of this issue: 1. What's KiteFlight? 2. What's the current version? 3. How to get updates 4. Web site statistics 5. Please fill in the KiteFlight Questionnaire 6. 'Lezen' - a free 32-bit Windows program 7. Odds and ends 1. What's KiteFlight? --------------------- KiteFlight (KF) is an MS-DOS program which can simulate the movements of dual-line stunt kites or stunt kite teams. The movements of the kites are controlled by control files written in a kite simulation language called KF1. KF is useful both for visualizing existing routines and as a tool for developing your own routines. The commercial floppy ("Kite 2.0") with KiteFlight also contains software (Plot and Sputnik by Peter Ruinard) for printing and customizing kite plans from the books by Servaas van der Horst and Velthuizen ("Stunt Kites..." and "Stunt Kites II..."). Plot and Sputnik are meant to be used together with the book(s). KiteFlight, however, can be used without owning the books. 2. What's the current version? ------------------------------ Latest version: 2.08 (latest complete version in my own possession) Latest release: 2.08 (demo version available on Internet via Web home page) Latest release: 2.01 (on 1.44MB floppy in CD Box via shops/magazines) Compulsories : 2.2 (freely available on Internet via Web home page) Web home page : 2.08 (below http://www.iaehv.nl/users/vdhamer) 3. How to get updates --------------------- If you buy and register the commercial Kite 1.0 diskette, you can get free upgrades up to KF 1.18 via Internet. Although you can register even if you don't have any form of access to Internet, you will not be able to get updates (but maybe your nephew can help out with the Internet part). If you buy and register the commercial Kite 2.0 diskette, you can get free upgrades to KF 2.xx. You can register (free) by sending an E-mail message to the author (vdhamer@msn.com) stating your address, which version you own and where you bought it. You then receive a reply explaining how the update procedure works. Non-registered users can obtain free copies of the demo versions of KiteFlight (e.g. KFCD 2.08) from the author's Web site: http://www.iaehv.nl/users/vdhamer (The Netherlands) The demo version has a number of limitations compared to the larger retail version. Except for the first item, all these limitations are due to technical (16-bit vs. 32-bit) or file size reasons: * The demo version is able to run all STACK/AKA/AJSKA compulsories, but not the full length animations. * The demo version has a less sophisticated/powerful user interface than the retail version. The demo version is therefore 2x-3x smaller in file size than the retail version. * The demo version does not support ribbon trails or smoke trails. * The demo version does not run as smoothly in a Windows (3.1 or 95) environment as it does under a DOS environment. * The demo version runs SuperVGA displays in VGA mode only. This is less important for moving images (like kite animations) than for static images. 4. Web site statistics ---------------------- For the past six months, I have been monitoring how often the KiteFlight Web pages are accessed. You can see some of the statistics for yourself at the Web address http://www.iaehv.nl/users/vdhamer/kf/Kf_home#Statists. You will find my primary 'hit' counter there, along with a table with the number of hits per months during the past half year. For the past month, I have also monitored (where possible) from which countries the visitors came and at what time of the day they dropped by. Note that I do not know the names of the visitors - just their sites. You can examine some of this information in real-time at the Web site http://www.nedstat.nl/cgi-bin/viewstat?Name=kf_home. Although this page is in Dutch, most of the page consists of bar charts and tables which are relatively obvious ("Belgie" is "Belgium", etc.). Some conclusions: * The KiteFlight home page gets about 10 visitors per day. * The visitors are apparently 'real' people using Web browsers. I have not detected any hits yet which were produced by programs which automatically check my site regularly to see if there are any changes. * The visitors are from all over the world (and not just nearby countries here in Europe). Consequently, due to the differences in time zones, the site gets visitors 24 hours per day. * I sometimes get visitors from rather exotic places like the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Australia, Guam (an island in the Pacific), Indonesia and Singapore. In case you are wondering whether all this information is useful for me: it is mainly fun, but also useful for me. Maintaining a large Web site is a lot of work. So it helps to know that somebody is looking... 5. Please fill in the KiteFlight Questionnaire ---------------------------------------------- I have recently created a questionnaire (=list of questions) about what you think about KiteFlight. In particular, the questionnaire focuses on what you feel should be improved in a future release. I will use this input to determine whether a major rewrite of the program is necessary, and which new features have the highest priority. The main topics in the questionnaire are: - Who are you? (name, E-mail address, country) - How serious are you about kite flying (and what do you do)? - What kind of computer do you own? (processor, operating system) - How familiar are you with KiteFlight? - If you are familiar with KiteFlight, but haven't purchased KiteFlight, what was the main reason why you did not purchase it? - If you are familiar with KiteFlight, which potential improvements would you like to see most of all? The questionnaire is available on the Internet at address http://www.iaehv.nl/users/vdhamer/kf/Kf_quest.html. You can also reach the questionnaire from the KiteFlight home page. It will probably take about 5 minutes of your time to fill in the form (it is mostly multiple choice). ****************************************************** * PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR INPUT TODAY! * * http://www.iaehv.nl/users/vdhamer/kf/Kf_quest.html * ****************************************************** I (only) expect somewhere between 10 and 100 reactions, so your 'vote' will certainly make a difference! If you cannot access the above Web address, send me an E-mail, and I will get the questions to you by E-mail. 6. 'Lezen' - a free 32-bit Windows program ------------------------------------------ Let's start off with an apology here: this section has absolutely no relationship whatsoever with kites! Well, just a wee, tiny relationship... The news is simple: my KiteFlight site now contains a link to a Windows 95/NT program which you can download for free. The program thus requires 32-bit Windows and does not run under MS-DOS or Windows 3.x. Your PC should also have a sound card. The program is used to help teach young children to read: the program displays written words (in a clear big font and using kid-compatible colors) and the child is asked to read the word. Next the computer can 'speak' the word using the sound card. The computer can help keep track of which words were read correctly and how many mistakes the child made. The words are selected from a list at random, and the child can operate the program without any adult help. The program is pretty flexible: if you have a sound card and a microphone, you can add your own list of words using a simple text file and the Windows sound recorder program (to create a series of .WAV audio files). You can thus use the program to teach a child in most Western languages. A Dutch language and a French language sample file site are available for download. Screen images, documentation, and the downloadable files themselves can be found at the Web address: http://www.iaehv.nl/users/vdhamer/Lz_home.html. Oh, by the way, the "wee, tiny relationship" was that this program partly served as a test of how much effort it would be to write a true Windows program. You never know when that kind of knowledge might come in handy... 7. Odds and ends ---------------- * Windows NT 4.0 -------------- The most advanced version of KiteFlight (kf32.exe) runs smoothly under both Windows 3.1 and Windows 95. This may be less obvious than you think: kf32.exe uses one or two fancy technical tricks to achieve smooth and sharp animations. Recently, Microsoft has started positioning their other operating system, Windows NT, as a "slightly bigger and more rugged brother" of Windows 95. In the past, NT was marketed more as a special solution for the high-end professional/server market. KiteFlight ran reasonably well under Windows NT 3.5. Under the newly released Windows NT 4.0, however, I have found at least one significant problem (mouse cursor freezes). I am interested in fixing such problems, but do not have access to Windows NT 4.0 at home. Are there any Windows NT 4.0 users out there willing to help test KiteFlight under Windows 4.0? The help would primarily involve installing test versions of KiteFlight and doing one or two simple tests ("what does it say on the screen when you press..."). * Compulsory P13 -------------- A well-informed source has told me that the KiteFlight demo file (kf1demo.kf1) will be used as the basis for a new STACK/AKA compulsory for pairs. This new pairs compulsory, which will be named P13, closely resembles the original kf1demo, and will probably be named KiteFlight. In gratitude for this honor, the KiteFlight demo file will be updated in the near future to match the P13 compulsory. A note to pairs contestants: P13 is a bit tricky to fly due to line wrap, so you will probably want to enter the figure with pre-wrapped lines and to unwrap them during the first looping in the compulsory. -=-=-=-