[sword-devel] [sword-support] Video tutorials

[Barry Drake]

Hi there .....  I've been exchanging e-mails with Gary North.  It has 
not been an easy process, but somehow I've kept my patience.  The first 
e-mail to sword-support said something like 'Your program doesn't work 
.... '  I've had to drag information from Gary a word at a time - 
literally.  However, patience has paid off, and I forward his last e-mail.

The program that caused all the grief is of course the notorious 'Sword 
Project for Windows'.  Please please please consider demoting it 
seriously on the web site.  I've corresponded with many new users who 
are frustrated and almost lost to Sword entirely because of their first 
impressions.  Please consider putting Xiphos and BibleTime at the top of 
the list of Windows programs and hiding the legacy program somewhat 
lower down the list!  I hope this does not offend - but what is said in 
the message below is a summary of a lot of views I have tried to respond 
to.

I'd appreciate Peter's take on this as he has done far more than I have 
on the Sword Support list recently.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	RE: [sword-support] Video tutorials
Date: 	Tue, 3 Apr 2012 08:46:24 -0400
From: 	Gary North <gnorth at poetworld.net>
Reply-To: 	<garynorth at garynorth.com>
To: 	'Barry Drake' <b.drake at ntlworld.com>



A few minutes ago, one of my site's members -- a programmer -- posted this.
It pretty much sums it up.



Yes, I had forgotten how unusable the site really is. The site I linked to
is the main API site. It is an open source project that started 13 years ago
to provide an opensource Bible software engine, so yes, run by programmers.
I suffer from the same disease.

When you click on the Software link, it lists all the projects that use the
API. The first software application listed, is useless, and they stopped
adding features for it in 2008. Its existence is for testing the API. They
should never had listed it.

The second one listed, Xiphos, is the product you want for Windows or Linux.
It is well documented. No videos, but you can read the user's manual here:
http://xiphos.org/manual/ (it has pictures of the app, making it easier
reading).

MacSword (for the Mac) does not appear to be as well documented (no
pictures, no obvious link to a manual) and only documents how to download
Bibles, and Commentaries.

The iPhone app remains true to Apples principles (cute not helpful)

The documentation for the Android app is nonexistent. I use the Android app,
but I have used this software for years. You have to go into settings and
click on "Download Documents" to get Bibles and commentaries, not intuitive.

I've had my head in the sands for so long in programming, it never crossed
my mind how unusable the site is, and I have used it for years. Thanks for
the heads up, Dr. North.

Now I need to do some soul searching and consider doing screencast videos
for some of the project's software.

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-----Original Message-----
From: Barry Drake [mailto:b.drake at ntlworld.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2012 8:06 AM
To: garynorth at garynorth.com
Subject: Re: [sword-support] Video tutorials

On 03/04/12 12:52, Gary North wrote:
>  Sorry, This is techiebabble.  I may invest some money to provide videos.

I'm really sorry my explanation is not clear.  Please tell me how to make it
clearer.  I  thought my question about which Sword program you are using is
a fairly jargon-free request.  The other thing I referred to is an item that
appears somewhere in a menu in every Sword program - it is called 'module
manager', or sometimes 'bookshelf', and our term for a bible or a commentary
etc is a 'module'.

I'd love to be able to help or to point you in the direction of help if only
you will give me more information.  Usually, there is a 'help->about' menu
item in  the program.  This would tell you what I need to know.

God bless,        Barry.

--
Barry Drake is a member of the the Ubuntu Advertising team.
http://ubuntuadverts.org/