[sword-devel] GNU and OS ideologies and indulgences

[Timothy R. Butler]

Hi,
> they want. Maybe even a number of acceptable translations could be
> entered into a computerised
[...]
> for all versions. Others might have 2 or 3 or 5 renderings, each better
> in some respect. All rated
> individually according to their benefit.

  That's brilliant, absolutely brilliant. A customized "living" (so to speak) 
translation. Perhaps what you could do, is let translators on the project 
rate the different translations of parts they aren't working on, and the 
highest rated (and most likely, most accurate, using Google-like methods) 
would become the official translation. 
  It would get the hardest work done faster, and thus only requiring a small 
amount of normal translators to go over the work and enhance it to insure 
accuracy.

> >The RSV is free because the copyright ran out on it.
>
> I thought with the so-called "Disney", US laws that copyright doesn't
> even run out after 100 years.
> The RSV is a lot younger than that so I wonder how it can be it is run
> out??

  My understanding is that copyrights end after 25 years, IIRC, but can be 
renewed. For instance, that's why you see "The Complete Book on Books, (c) 
1935, 1960, 1970, 1985" for instance.


> Sure, but it could happen. Especially if the NIV and NASB folks don't
> wise up, I think
[...]
> Maybe everyone has an electronic book and carries it around. Maybe you meet
> someone and want to share the Gospel with them. Then you have to say
> "But sorry
> I can't actually GIVE you the gospel. It's copyright you know". Then it
> will start
> to become clear how wrong it is to hoard these copyrights.

  I agree. IMO, Translations should be held under strict copyrights until the 
money is recooped. Then, permit free electronic distribution, but still 
charge for the non-electronic distribution. One thing worth noting is, you 
can download most Linux distros for free, but most people buy the boxed set. 
It would most likely work the same way for translators.

  Moving on to a point raised later on, that one-person translations hold 
little value... What about Martin Luther's original translation? More 
recently, another one that comes to mind might be the MKJV (which I believe 
was created by one person). The MKJV is an excellent Bible, IMO.

  -Tim

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