[sword-devel] Copyrights and cash

[Barry Drake]

Hi there ....

I've been thinking a lot about the big copyrights issue.  The Sword Project 
has some exceptional software to offer now.  The performance outshines any 
of the commercial programs and the potential is growing rapidly.  The Sword 
library itself is awesome and completely platform independent.  But at the 
end of the day, it is only as useful as the modules that we are able to 
offer.  In English speaking countries, the majority of Christians seem to 
want the NIV.  Second to that is possibly the NRSV maybe followed by the 
NJB.  I could be wrong, but I guess there will be few other real 
contenders.

We may eventually get some success with the copright holder of the NRSV - 
but Zondervan will never, I'm sure allow free issue of the NIV.  Is it 
totally against the policy of the Sword Project (that's us, I think) to 
refuse to allow anyone to charge a copyright fee for a locked module which 
we would provide?

I know we have no mechanism or desire to handle copyright funds.  Could we 
not consider arranging with a copyright holder together with a commercial 
retail organisation such as Amazon to handle the commercial side of 
transactions involving downloadable modules only?  Or maybe Zondervan 
themselves could set up a mechanism to arrange the supply of the Sword 
module?

This would not mean that we would (ever) charge for the software.  Simply 
make it available as we do now, but with a method of buying copyrighted 
modules.

I seriously believe we ought to do something in that direction and would 
like to propose that listmembers offer their thoughts. 

God bless,

Barry

>From Barry Drake (The Revd - minister of the Arnold and the Netherfield 
United 
Reformed Churches, Nottingham - see http://www.arnold-urc.supanet.com for 
our 
church homepages).

Replies - b.drake@ntlworld.com
Fax: 0705 069 8746