[sword-devel] Platform for the distribution of non-free Sword Modules

[Greg Hellings]

On Tue, Mar 12, 2019 at 5:12 PM Tobias Klein <contact at tklein.info> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm following up on the last thread that I started. Who would be
> interested in actively supporting the following idea:
>
> - Develop/set up an online platform that sells non-free Bible translations
> as locked Sword modules
>

This is, technically, trivial. I've created at least two functional POCs in
the past that would create a customized download with a uniquely locked key
for every "purchaser" (the POC part came in that it didn't actually
transact money).

- Establish a non-profit that becomes a Library Card Holder @ The Digital
> Bible Library (DBL)
>

Sounds like a lot of paperwork.

- Negotiate with Bible Societies to actually get licenses for distributing
> specific non-free Bible translations
>

Sounds like even more paperwork.

- Develop a software that uses the DBL's REST API for automatically
> creating locked Sword modules
>

If the DBL's REST API is reasonable and well-behaved, this would be a very
simple task as well. The programmatic creation of SWORD modules from
pre-parsed text is very simple and straightforward (the biggest
complexities in our module creation process comes from the rigid nature of
how we store scriptures on disk vs the great freedoms we offer to module
creators in the XML we accept and in the parsing of the XML).


> Anyone interested? We would need:
>

I am keenly interested. I believe that lack of modern English translations
is a huge detriment to the SWORD ecosystem. It's one of the main reasons I
don't use any of our apps on a regular basis. The only thing that has
stopped me, in the past, has been the social back pressure from other
members of the CrossWire community who, for reasons still opaque to me,
oppose the existence of a separate entity that is not affiliated with
CrossWire that distributes for-pay SWORD modules.

Since I have print copies of all the modern English translations I want, I
have no true pressing need for such to exist, as much as I really wish it
did. Thus, rather than fly in the face of others in the community to
scratch my own personal itch, I have opted against such and continue to
solely use dead tree editions for reading and studying and limit my digital
interactions to search.

I foresee that you'll also find that many of our core, active members are
still of the opinion that such an entity would be a negative thing. As I
mentioned, I do not comprehend their objections but have not made a strong
effort to really find out why their objection exists. It would, for me, be
nothing more than a pet project more answering the question of, "Is it
possible, technically", and that answer has already been given by my POCs
for me.

--Greg
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