Index: CHANGES.txt
==================================================================
--- CHANGES.txt
+++ CHANGES.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
-Version 0.13.0
+Version [next]
+
+[Improved] Finding groff happens in a thread now. No more blocking on startup.
+[Removed] So we got rid of the loading window again.
+
+-------------------------------
+
+Version 0.12.0
 2024-01-11
 
 [Feature] Support for hdtbl.
 [Changed] Build extras and build preprocessors are now listed in a multi-select box.
 [Improved] If no error has occurred, the log file will contain a success message.

Index: src/groffstudio.lpi
==================================================================
--- src/groffstudio.lpi
+++ src/groffstudio.lpi
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@
       </Resources>
     </General>
     <VersionInfo>
       <UseVersionInfo Value="True"/>
       <AutoIncrementBuild Value="True"/>
-      <MinorVersionNr Value="13"/>
+      <MinorVersionNr Value="14"/>
       <BuildNr Value="16"/>
       <Attributes pvaPreRelease="True"/>
       <StringTable ProductName="groffstudio"/>
     </VersionInfo>
     <BuildModes>
@@ -77,18 +77,10 @@
         <ComponentName Value="BuildStatusWindow"/>
         <HasResources Value="True"/>
         <ResourceBaseClass Value="Form"/>
         <UnitName Value="BuildOutputWindow"/>
       </Unit>
-      <Unit>
-        <Filename Value="splashscreen.pas"/>
-        <IsPartOfProject Value="True"/>
-        <ComponentName Value="SplashscreenWindow"/>
-        <HasResources Value="True"/>
-        <ResourceBaseClass Value="Form"/>
-        <UnitName Value="Splashscreen"/>
-      </Unit>
     </Units>
   </ProjectOptions>
   <CompilerOptions>
     <Version Value="11"/>
     <PathDelim Value="\"/>

Index: src/groffstudio.lpr
==================================================================
--- src/groffstudio.lpr
+++ src/groffstudio.lpr
@@ -23,29 +23,19 @@
   {$ENDIF}
   {$IFDEF HASAMIGA}
   athreads,
   {$ENDIF}
   Interfaces,
-  Forms, lazcontrols, Unit1, Helpers, BuildOutputWindow, Splashscreen;
+  Forms, lazcontrols, Unit1, Helpers, BuildOutputWindow;
 
 {$R *.res}
 
-var
-  Splash: TSplashscreenWindow;
-
 begin
   RequireDerivedFormResource:=True;
   Application.Scaled:=True;
   Application.Initialize;
   
-  { Load the loading screen }
-  Splash := TSplashscreenWindow.Create(Application);
-  Splash.Show;
-  Splash.Update;
-  Application.ProcessMessages;
-  
   Application.CreateForm(TMainForm, MainForm);
-  
-  Splash.Close;
+
   Application.Run;
 end.
 

DELETED src/splashscreen.lfm
Index: src/splashscreen.lfm
==================================================================
--- src/splashscreen.lfm
+++ src/splashscreen.lfm
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-object SplashscreenWindow: TSplashscreenWindow
-  Left = 493
-  Height = 80
-  Top = 160
-  Width = 168
-  BorderStyle = bsNone
-  Caption = 'preparing'
-  ClientHeight = 80
-  ClientWidth = 168
-  FormStyle = fsSplash
-  object Label1: TLabel
-    Left = 16
-    Height = 37
-    Top = 16
-    Width = 141
-    Caption = 'preparing ...'
-    Font.Height = -27
-    ParentFont = False
-  end
-end

DELETED src/splashscreen.pas
Index: src/splashscreen.pas
==================================================================
--- src/splashscreen.pas
+++ src/splashscreen.pas
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-unit Splashscreen;
-
-{
-  The contents of this file are subject to the terms of the
-  Common Development and Distribution License, Version 1.1 only
-  (the "License").  You may not use this file except in compliance
-  with the License.
-
-  See the file LICENSE in this distribution for details.
-  A copy of the CDDL is also available via the Internet at
-  https://spdx.org/licenses/CDDL-1.1.html
-
-  When distributing Covered Code, include this CDDL HEADER in each
-  file and include the contents of the LICENSE file from this
-  distribution.
-}
-
-{$mode ObjFPC}{$H+}
-
-interface
-
-uses
-  Classes, SysUtils, Forms, Controls, Graphics, Dialogs, StdCtrls;
-
-type
-
-  { TSplashscreenWindow }
-
-  TSplashscreenWindow = class(TForm)
-    Label1: TLabel;
-  private
-
-  public
-
-  end;
-
-implementation
-
-{$R *.lfm}
-
-end.
-

Index: src/unit1.lfm
==================================================================
--- src/unit1.lfm
+++ src/unit1.lfm
@@ -6,10 +6,11 @@
   Caption = 'groffstudio'
   ClientHeight = 692
   ClientWidth = 847
   DefaultMonitor = dmPrimary
   Position = poScreenCenter
+  LCLVersion = '3.99.0.0'
   OnClose = FormClose
   OnCreate = FormCreate
   object MainStatusBar: TStatusBar
     Left = 0
     Height = 23

Index: src/unit1.pas
==================================================================
--- src/unit1.pas
+++ src/unit1.pas
@@ -100,11 +100,10 @@
     procedure GetSocketHandler(Sender: TObject; const UseSSL: Boolean; out AHandler: TSocketHandler);
 {$ENDIF}
   private
     var currentGroffFilePath: String;
     var currentGroffFileName: String;
-    var hasGroff: Boolean;
     var unsavedChanges: Boolean;
 {$IFDEF WINDOWS}
     var latestGroffWindowsUrl: String;
 {$ENDIF}
     var storeBuildSettings: Boolean;
@@ -111,23 +110,52 @@
     var updateCheck: Boolean;
   public
 
   end;
 
+  TDetectGroffThread = class(TThread)
+    procedure Execute; Override;
+  end;
+
 var
   MainForm: TMainForm;
   BuildWindow: TBuildStatusWindow;
+  hasGroff: Boolean;
 
 implementation
 
 {$R *.lfm}
+
+procedure TDetectGroffThread.Execute;
+var
+  GroffOutputVersion: String;
+begin
+  FreeOnTerminate := True;
+
+  {$IFDEF WINDOWS}
+  if RunCommand('cmd', ['/c', 'troff --version'], GroffOutputVersion, [], swoHIDE) then
+  {$ELSE}
+  if RunCommand('/bin/sh', ['-c', 'troff --version'], GroffOutputVersion, [], swoHIDE) then
+  {$ENDIF}
+  begin
+    MainForm.edtGroffInstalledVersion.Text := GroffOutputVersion;
+    if pos('GNU', GroffOutputVersion) = 0 then
+       ShowMessage('groffstudio thinks that your installed version of troff is not GNU troff.' + LineEnding +
+       'If this is correct, you are advised to fix this before continuing.' + LineEnding +
+       'If it is an error, please tell me so I can improve this detection.');
+    hasGroff := True;
+  end else begin
+    MainForm.edtGroffInstalledVersion.Text := 'n/a';
+    hasGroff := False;
+    MainForm.lblTroffCommandNotFound.Visible := True;
+  end;
+end;
 
 { TMainForm }
 
 procedure TMainForm.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
 var
-  GroffOutputVersion: String;
   OnlineVersionsFile: String;
   {$IFDEF WINDOWS}
   reGroffVersion: TRegExpr;
   {$ENDIF}
   reGroffStudioVersion: TRegExpr;
@@ -138,27 +166,11 @@
   {$IFDEF DARWIN}
   HTTPClient: TFPHttpClient;
   {$ENDIF}
 begin
   // What's the current running groff version?
-  {$IFDEF WINDOWS}
-  if RunCommand('cmd', ['/c', 'troff --version'], GroffOutputVersion, [], swoHIDE) then
-  {$ELSE}
-  if RunCommand('/bin/sh', ['-c', 'troff --version'], GroffOutputVersion, [], swoHIDE) then
-  {$ENDIF}
-  begin
-    edtGroffInstalledVersion.Text := GroffOutputVersion;
-    if pos('GNU', GroffOutputVersion) = 0 then
-       ShowMessage('groffstudio thinks that your installed version of troff is not GNU troff.' + LineEnding +
-       'If this is correct, you are advised to fix this before continuing.' + LineEnding +
-       'If it is an error, please tell me so I can improve this detection.');
-    hasGroff := True;
-  end else begin
-    edtGroffInstalledVersion.Text := 'n/a';
-    hasGroff := False;
-    lblTroffCommandNotFound.Visible := True;
-  end;
+  TDetectGroffThread.Create(False);
 
   // Default file name
   currentGroffFileName := '[unsaved file]';
 
   // Embed the license