[bd-users] New Idea...I think...

[Jonathan Morgan]

On Sat, Mar 22, 2008 at 10:42 AM, Brent Coffey <bcoffe at hotmail.com> wrote:
>  I am thinking about developing what I think is a new idea in bible software, maybe it's not, but I think it could be helpful.  It maybe really difficult or it could be simple, don't know yet and want some feedback.  I want a piece of bible software that doesn't just have an old static map image of a general area. BUT....
>
>  I want a dynamic mapping module (think google earth) which automatically keeps up with the verse you have in focus and automatically "flies" to the primary location of the verse and then charts out a path dynamically based on the verses, or words you have in focus, highlighted etc..  So For example say you are reading
>
>  Genesis 10:31
>
>  "Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there."
>
>  Just by the fact that you are on this verse your google map "view" would read some type of "meta-data" that some one has associated with the verse and then your bible application would fly to the primary location of the verse, in this case "Ur" and then create a paths between Ur and Haran and Haran to Canaan.  Since this verse is about "journeying" between these locations.  In this way you can see Visually EXACTLY the places the verse is talking about and the terrain associated with them.  You could then use the google earth feature which "flies" you slowly down across your defined path to see perciously the terrain along the same path that Abraham took in this verse.  "Granted it would be the modern day version of the area" but still better than just "imagining."
>
>  Any thoughts?

I think it's a nice idea, but hard to make a very good UI for.  For
example, which route did Abraham take from Ur -> Haran -> Canaan?  We
have three points.  We can invent a path that is somewhat plausible
(in this case, following the rivers isn't a bad idea) but we cannot
determine the path that he took.

The other issue is identifying places.  There is considerable data
about where places are, but finding data that is reasonably
authoritative and useful is not very easy.

Have a look at http://www.biblemap.org.  This doesn't do everything
that you want, but it does use Google Maps and link places with Bible
verses.

If you do want to take up this project seriously, you are probably
better to discuss it on sword-devel (the Sword developers mailing
list), where it is likely to be viewed by both Sword and JSword
developers, as well as other people interested in Bible software
development.

Jon