[sword-devel] Online Bible Material

Sun, 5 Jan 2003 09:50:17 -0800

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I forgot to get the web url for this article. This is not the complete
article it went on to talk about other software etc..

CyberBibles on a Budget 
Bible study programs that leave some change in your pocket.   by Marshall
N. Surratt

Having just visited a number of software companies, I am again stunned by
the power and "beauty" of commercial Bible study software. Most of these
super-programs can not only search faster than a speeding bullet and
execute complex commands in a single bound, they do it with an interface
that is as well designed as Superman's outfit. Maybe better. 
However, until these companies offered starter kits,, I could not afford
these programs. I know a few of our readers are in the same situation.
So, besides the starter kits, what are the options? 
Freeware and shareware. In fact, one company's president told me, "If
people tell me they can't afford my product, I encourage them to at least
get started by trying out Bible study shareware." No, shareware can never
compete with commercial software (contrary to what some magazines
suggest). The old saying holds true: you get what you pay for. But free-
and shareware can be an economical way to get introduced to this super
Bible study world. 
To help readers understand their options, we asked Marshall Surratt, a
frequent contributor to Computing Today, to evaluate some freeware and
shareware Bible study programs now available. 
--Mark Galli, editor 
The leader in freeware 
The freeware program, Online Bible, has assumed a prominent role among
computer Bible study programs. The program's author, Larry Pierce,
believes the Bible should be freely shared, so he allows anyone to freely
copy and distribute everything in his program except for a few
copyrighted commentaries and translations (such as the NIV and NASB). 
Ten years ago, Pierce began by compiling a lexicon for the computer from
several nineteenth-century sources, and adding James Strong's numbers to
the mix. A century ago, Strong had assigned a number to every word in the
Bible. He also prepared Hebrew and Greek lexicons to show the definitions
and uses of each word in the Bible. 
When Pierce embedded Strong's numbers into a computer-coded KJV text, he
revolutionized how tens of thousands of people study the Bible. Now
anyone can click on a number beside a word in the KJV and see the
original Hebrew or Greek (in the original language or spelled
phonetically) and a definition for that word. 
Since then Online Bible has added an amazing number of resources. The
latest Windows CD-ROM comes with more than a dozen English translations,
more than 30 foreign translations, plus Hebrew and Greek translations, a
half-dozen commentaries, and more than 5,000 "topics" (miscellaneous text
files and images). 
"You can let time winnow out the chaff for you," says Pierce, referring
to the classic commentaries in his program. As with other freeware and
shareware programs, most commentaries are older: Matthew Henry's
Commentary, written between 1708 and 1710; John Gill's nine-volume
expository on the Bible, published in 1809; and B. W. Johnson's 1889
People's New Testament Commentary. 
Also typical of freeware and shareware, the user interface in Online
Bible is spartan. You won't find icons on the toolbar, only labels, such
as "View Passage." Nor is using the program as intuitive as in some
commercial Bible study programs. For example, editing notes in Online
Bible 7.0 is still a two-step process. First you pull up the notes
screen. Then you choose "Edit notes" to activate a note editor. There is
also no provision for searching your notes or the "topics." (That will be
part of a future release, says Pierce.) 
The low budget for development shows in the maps too. Online Bible
includes 25 maps, but they can't be modified. You can't, for instance,
"zoom in" on them or label where certain events took place (as some
commercial programs allow). 
The new version now allows for the extensive use of the right mouse
button. You can set up a list of default translations and study aids
(i.e., commentaries and dictionaries). Online Bible can do wildcard
searches (e.g., enter "lov*" to find instances of love, loved, loving,
lover, etc.), proximity searches (to find where two words are used within
so many words of each other), and boolean (and, or, not) searches. You
can also search for an "ambiguous phrase." Entering "Jesus . . . Christ,"
for instance, searches for phrases that begin with "Jesus" and end with
"Christ." 
The latest Windows version, Online Bible 7.0, comes in both a 16-bit
version, for Windows 3.1 and OS/2, and a 32-bit version, for Windows 95.
The Online Bible for Macintosh is nearly identical. A DOS version is also
still available. The program and resources can be downloaded and copied
freely, but doing so will take hours. That alone might make one of the
available CD-ROMs ($30-$79 from Online Bible USA) sound attractive. For
more information call 800/243-7124, or check the still-developing Web
site: www.biblecd.com. 
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I forgot to get the =
web url=20
for this article. This is not the complete article it went on to talk about=
=20
other software etc..
</o:p>&nbsp;</DIV>
<CENTER>CyberBibles on a Budget&nbsp;
Bible study programs =
that leave=20
some change in your pocket.&nbsp;&nbsp; by Marshall N.=20
Surratt</CENTER>
<HR>
 Having just visited a =
number of=20
software companies, I am again stunned by the power and "beauty" of =
commercial=20
Bible study software. Most of these super-programs can not only search =
faster=20
than a speeding bullet and execute complex commands in a single bound, they=
 do=20
it with an interface that is as well designed as Superman's outfit. Maybe=20
better.=20
However, until these =
companies=20
offered starter kits,, I could not afford these programs. I know a few of =
our=20
readers are in the same situation. So, besides the starter kits, what are =
the=20
options?=20
Freeware and shareware. =
In fact,=20
one company's president told me, "If people tell me they can't afford my=20
product, I encourage them to at least get started by trying out Bible study=
=20
shareware." No, shareware can never compete with commercial software (=
contrary=20
to what some magazines suggest). The old saying holds true: you get what =
you pay=20
for. But free- and shareware can be an economical way to get introduced to =
this=20
super Bible study world.=20
To help readers =
understand their=20
options, we asked Marshall Surratt, a frequent contributor to Computing=
=20
Today, to evaluate some freeware and shareware Bible study programs now=
=20
available.=20
--Mark Galli,=20
editor=20
The leader in freeware=20
The freeware program, =
Online=20
Bible, has assumed a prominent role among computer Bible study programs=
. The=20
program's author, Larry Pierce, believes the Bible should be freely shared,=
 so=20
he allows anyone to freely copy and distribute everything in his program =
except=20
for a few copyrighted commentaries and translations (such as the NIV and=20
NASB).=20
Ten years ago, Pierce began=
 by=20
compiling a lexicon for the computer from several nineteenth-century =
sources,=20
and adding James Strong's numbers to the mix. A century ago, Strong had =
assigned=20
a number to every word in the Bible. He also prepared Hebrew and Greek =
lexicons=20
to show the definitions and uses of each word in the Bible.=20
When Pierce embedded Strong=
's=20
numbers into a computer-coded KJV text, he revolutionized how tens of =
thousands=20
of people study the Bible. Now anyone can click on a number beside a word =
in the=20
KJV and see the original Hebrew or Greek (in the original language or =
spelled=20
phonetically) and a definition for that word.=20
Since then Online Bible<=
/I> has=20
added an amazing number of resources. The latest Windows CD-ROM comes with =
more=20
than a dozen English translations, more than 30 foreign translations, plus=
=20
Hebrew and Greek translations, a half-dozen commentaries, and more than 5,=
000=20
"topics" (miscellaneous text files and images).=20
"You can let time winnow =
out the=20
chaff for you," says Pierce, referring to the classic commentaries in his=20
program. As with other freeware and shareware programs, most commentaries =
are=20
older: Matthew Henry's Commentary, written between 1708 and 1710; John Gill=
's=20
nine-volume expository on the Bible, published in 1809; and B. W. Johnson's=
 1889=20
People's New Testament Commentary.=20
Also typical of freeware =
and=20
shareware, the user interface in Online Bible is spartan. You won't =
find=20
icons on the toolbar, only labels, such as "View Passage." Nor is using the=
=20
program as intuitive as in some commercial Bible study programs. For =
example,=20
editing notes in Online Bible 7.0 is still a two-step process. First=
 you=20
pull up the notes screen. Then you choose "Edit notes" to activate a note=20
editor. There is also no provision for searching your notes or the "topics.=
"=20
(That will be part of a future release, says Pierce.)=20
The low budget for =
development shows=20
in the maps too. Online Bible includes 25 maps, but they can't be=20
modified. You can't, for instance, "zoom in" on them or label where certain=
=20
events took place (as some commercial programs allow).=20
The new version now allows =
for the=20
extensive use of the right mouse button. You can set up a list of default=20
translations and study aids (i.e., commentaries and dictionaries). =
Online=20
Bible can do wildcard searches (e.g., enter "lov*" to find instances of=
=20
love, loved, loving, lover, etc.), proximity searches (to find where=
 two=20
words are used within so many words of each other), and boolean (and, or, =
not)=20
searches. You can also search for an "ambiguous phrase." Entering "Jesus . =
. .=20
Christ," for instance, searches for phrases that begin with "Jesus" and end=
 with=20
"Christ."=20
The latest Windows version,=
=20
Online Bible 7.0, comes in both a 16-bit version, for Windows 3.1 =
and=20
OS/2, and a 32-bit version, for Windows 95. The Online Bible for=20
Macintosh is nearly identical. A DOS version is also still available. The=20
program and resources can be downloaded and copied freely, but doing so =
will=20
take hours. That alone might make one of the available CD-ROMs ($30-$79 =
from=20
Online Bible USA) sound attractive. For more information call 800/243-7124,=
 or=20
check the still-developing Web site: <A=20
href=3D"http://www.biblecd.com">www.biblecd.com</A>.=20
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