diff --git a/hslib.pas b/hslib.pas
index bd1796a..c6b7ccc 100644
--- a/hslib.pas
+++ b/hslib.pas
@@ -385,28 +385,11 @@ begin if c then result:=a else result:=b end;
 function min(a,b:integer):integer;
 begin if a < b then result:=a else result:=b end;
 
-// this table is to be used by ipos(), to be calculated once
-var
-  upcaseTab: array [char] of char;
 function ipos(ss, s: string; ofs:integer=1):integer; overload;
-
-  procedure initTab();
-  var
-    i: char;
-    tmp: string;
-  begin
-  for i:=#0 to #255 do
-    begin
-    tmp:=ansiUppercase(i);
-    upcaseTab[i]:=tmp[1];
-    end;
-  end;
-
 var
   rss, rs, rss1, p: pchar;
   l: integer;
 begin
-if upcaseTab[#1] = #0 then initTab();
 result:=0;
 l:=length(s);
 if (l < ofs) or (l = 0) or (ss = '') then exit;
@@ -418,7 +401,7 @@ for result:=ofs to l do
   begin
   rss:=rss1;
   p:=rs;
-  while (rss^ <> #0) and (rss^ = upcaseTab[p^]) do
+  while (rss^ <> #0) and (rss^ = upcase(p^)) do
     begin
     inc(rss);
     inc(p);
diff --git a/main.pas b/main.pas
index 7377efe..9615a68 100644
--- a/main.pas
+++ b/main.pas
@@ -1644,7 +1644,7 @@ this would let us have "=" inside the names, but names cannot be assigned
   comments:=THashedStringList.create();
   try
     comments.caseSensitive:=FALSE;
-    try comments.loadFromFile(folder.resource+'\'+COMMENTS_FILE);
+    try comments.loadFromFile(folder.resource+'\'+COMMENTS_FILE, TEncoding.UTF8);
     except end;
     loadIon(folder.resource, comments);
     i:=if_((filesFilter='\') or (urlFilesFilter='\'), faDirectory, faAnyFile);
@@ -2500,7 +2500,7 @@ try
   try
     try
       comments.CaseSensitive:=FALSE;
-      comments.LoadFromFile(resource+'\..\'+COMMENTS_FILE);
+      comments.LoadFromFile(resource+'\..\'+COMMENTS_FILE, TEncoding.UTF8);
       result:=comments.values[name];
     except end
   finally
@@ -4392,7 +4392,7 @@ var
   // comments file
   try
     fn:=lastPath+COMMENTS_FILE;
-    ss.loadFromFile(fn);
+    ss.loadFromFile(fn, TEncoding.UTF8);
     anyChange:=FALSE;
     for i:=trancheStart to trancheEnd do
       begin
@@ -4405,7 +4405,7 @@ var
       if ss.count = 0 then
         deleteFile(fn)
       else
-        ss.saveToFile(fn);
+        ss.saveToFile(fn, TEncoding.UTF8);
   except end;
   // descript.ion
   if not mainfrm.supportDescriptionChk.checked then exit;