tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5026869257529481970.post7403770163147633980..comments2023-12-02T05:56:57.304-05:00Comments on Biblical Studies and Technological Tools: Bible Software Decisions: Accordance, BibleWorks, Logos, et alMGVHoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13984044532444865131noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5026869257529481970.post-61829808317243140882013-06-29T08:28:14.941-04:002013-06-29T08:28:14.941-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5026869257529481970.post-31193260117894448842012-09-14T07:22:50.408-04:002012-09-14T07:22:50.408-04:00Thanks James and Mark for your comments, I think I...Thanks James and Mark for your comments, I think I can answer both with this:<br /><br />One part of Biblical studies is information literacy. You essentially learn how context shapes conversation and rely on language and context to do so. That's not much different than what happens in the field of information architecture. The IA field though looks beyond the content and asks how to structure the content so that it's contexts can be utilized for a need. James' (web) app does this. And I would argue, when you are training sentence/mood structure for Hebrew and Greek, seminary professors are doing the same.<br /><br />So yes/no to saying that some info science would be useful. And yes, I would go as far as saying that if you can build an app for yourself or others, even it's a we page like Dyer's, James, or my own All Books, then you will be forced to know the text more intimately not just for your studies, but also in a manner that speaks to how people are engaging digital scrolls now.<br /><br />Just a thought. Am interested in the folks that do lead classes and what skills and apps they use. Mine is just a suggestion to push further (as usual). Kind regards to you both.Antoine RJ Wrighthttp://mobileministrymagazine.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5026869257529481970.post-15987042317807298092012-09-12T14:58:25.083-04:002012-09-12T14:58:25.083-04:00@Antoine: I'm not quite sure how to respond to...@Antoine: I'm not quite sure how to respond to your comment. There is just no way that our students have the time, ability or interest to work on developing a Bible reader. That's why we count on the Bible software that's out there and folks like John Dyer (with his Bible Web app http://biblewebapp.com/study/ among other projects) and @James perhaps doing the kind of work you are imagining. (BTW, nice work with your TheVerityProject.com) Another effort that is along the lines of the kind of work James mentions is OpenScriptures.org.<br />Also, in my post, I asked what other institutions are doing, I should point out that Logos has been very active in quite a few theological institutions: http://www.logos.com/academic/whylogos<br />MGVHoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13984044532444865131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5026869257529481970.post-62889891332247878762012-09-12T05:07:31.679-04:002012-09-12T05:07:31.679-04:00Your suggestion is very interesting to me. I'...Your suggestion is very interesting to me. I'm finishing up my 4th year at Bible College now but in first year I threw together a web app using the parsed tischendorf data online and then starting in second year a friend and I wrote an actual desktop application (called verity - theverityproject.com if you're interested). Even this year, I was working with the text of Mark a lot and needed to do some weird stuff with it so I put together another little web app (with html5 goodness, it was lots of fun). Without a doubt this put me ahead in awareness of text critical issues, manuscripts and licensing (though I don't think licensing is an important issue to wrap your mind around) but I'm a geek.<br /><br />I don't think it's practically possible to train guys to do this stuff because you're essentially suggesting bits of a compsci degree shoved into seminary education. It would probably be beneficial but it's not practical.<br /><br />What I would like to see though is data freedom - hebrew parsing is the simplest thing to point to. I want christendom to purchase data from bibleworks et. al. and make it public domain. Because then we could find free software that was equivalent to bibleworks or accordance.Jameshttp://www.rekindle.co.zanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5026869257529481970.post-45835264708221421582012-09-10T21:37:01.670-04:002012-09-10T21:37:01.670-04:00Mark, I am not a professor (yet); I am a student o...Mark, I am not a professor (yet); I am a student of the scriptures, and quite ahead/behind the curve in this religious tech space. Having said that, I want to level probably a more pointed question than the answers and perspectives you are asking for here:<br /><br />Why aren't you teaching folks how to build a Bible reader?<br /><br />I understand that some of the issues related to Bible software has to do with not so much the content, but knowing the needed features for instruction, learning, and application. What you seem to be wanting here is some easier or more grounded means of teaching specific ways of using these software packages in studies. That doesn't happen solely by concentrating on a specific package, but pooling their features, plus the needed skills, into something of a lesson.<br /><br />If I could make the recommendation in this wise, it would be to take John Dyer and the DBS's work with Browser Bible, and make that the introduciton to tech and Biblical studies, alongside Hebrew and Greek beginnings. To learn how to program the code that makes the letters appear, how to manage a websites oval website, and see directly the challenge of language support and user in traces, that's what makes for the kind of core compentencies in the text that transcend just knowing an app or having a specific library.<br /><br />Plus, you end up with a suite of folks who will know first hand the issues of restrictive licensing and publishing, which is every seminary's real issue with the text as taught.Antoine RJ Wrighthttp://mobileministrymagazine.comnoreply@blogger.com