If you've ever had to learn facts or vocabulary, and almost undoubtedly you have, you'll probably know how hard it is to test yourself on it, but without looking at the answers. TestMe, a free piece of software by Gary Ewer, aims to help you to do this type of task.

For some unknown reason it requires registration to remove its nag screen, even though it is freeware. This really is a mystery - surely if the author simply wanted demographics, he could ask for them before download? Still, since registration is free anyway this isn't too much of a problem.

When you've clicked past the nag screen or registered the software, you get an editing screen where you can add, edit and remove questions, although this must be done in a separate popup window. Up to four answers to each question can be entered. Unfortunately, only one zoom level is available, so you cannot make the font smaller to see more questions on screen. (Update 18/4/00 - in version 5.3 onwards you now can change the font size.)

Databases can be saved as text files as well as TestMe format so that they can be edited in other programs, such as Data. These can then be re-loaded into TestMe.

Once your database is finished, you can enter 'Learn It!' mode. Here, where the zoom functions are available, you are presented with a random question. When you press a key, or tap the screen, the answer appears, and the next time you will get another question. It does seem to give the same question twice fairly often, though, even in a database of 120 questions. This is only a very minor gripe, though, and is probably unavoidable.

TestMe is a particularly useful program for students, or in fact anyone who has to learn something that can be entered in a question and answer format. If you're someone who would benefit from this type of software, TestMe is worth trying out.