Mobile Ministry Magazine

As I sit and parouse the net as to what to write about today, I am quite appaled (yet understanding completly on another side) on how hard it is to get a bible on a PDA or other mobile device. And I dont just mean copyright issues, but formatting as well. Think about it, you have quite a few companies who create and format bible for all types of computing devices, but if you want to move to another reader, you have tto purchase (if you can) that bible again. And don't even think of transferring from one media to another, that is nearly impossible if you are not skilled in some serious programming (in many cases).

So what is a person left to do? We contend that we want this bible and that bible for our favorite bible reader, but then others may not be able to get it for theirs becasue the copyright holders deem it too unporfitable to have the bible version spread so thin. There is also that issue of device changes and compatability with newer devices. If the formatting is not such that the bible can be read in future readers, you essentially have a limited time with an unlimited Word. Ouch! Not my idea of a free gift.

I've been looking into creating a new program for the PalmOS that would be able to view XML data modules. I think that making data in a format that nearly everything can read will give the user's information some chance to survive. Now mind you, I am no programmer (I think I failed in my CS class in college). But I do recognize that getting the Word out is an issue of not only who holds the copyright on respective versions (that should be part two), but of us users who should be able to keep this Word for as long as we can (or storage elements in our devices allow). I personally use Bible+ and would hate to see it go because I have so many differnt bibles and resources in it that I would have to repurchase from another company. I see no issue with blessing a person for the work that they did, I do see an issue with their work not being allowed to last longer than just one platform. Its a tricky thing to me, and I would guess that with the introduction of new devices with new operating systems in the coming months, it will be for those folks as well.