2005-05-23 23:15:00
Pirating God’s Word…
NASB is my favorite translation, but it is copyrighted… and I would have to buy a separate license for every copy I have (if I had three computers I would have to purchase the NASB Bible software three times to put it on all three) and would have serious limitations in using it (I could not make copies of large passages without permission). So looking for free alternatives, I have also tried KJV …but other people have a difficult time understanding this translation. Most other versions I have looked at are too wordy or imprecise… what do you use and why?
Phil – email – 2005-05-24 17:02:39
I’d recommend looking closer at the relevant laws. I’m not sure that they can stop you from using software that you rightly purchased as long as you are only running one copy at a time. Of course, given the shambled state of US Copyright law, this completely reasonable thing may not be legal, but it would be worth checking.
Also, equating copyright violation with stealing is a huge stretch of the imagination. It’s inaccurate and misleading, though I don’t believe you did it on purpose.
Jon – 2005-05-24 19:03:21
“Also, equating copyright violation with stealing is a huge stretch of the imagination. It’s inaccurate and misleading, though I don’t believe you did it on purpose.”
*sigh*
Phil, sometimes I think you don’t listen to anything I say. :-)
Jeff – 2005-05-25 00:16:35
Most of the time, all you have to do is write to the software company and ask permission to use one copy on a network of home computers. Usually they have no problem with this as long as it remains in the same home, and not used for commericial use. If they say its ok to use their software in the prescibed way, its not illegal… Silence or no response can also be taken as giving legal consent. Carry on.
Ben – email – 2005-05-25 00:40:00
I’m not sure if the big issue is using it on as many computers as I want…the issue is principle. I want the freedom to reprint the Bible and distribute it. I would like the right to copy the Bible in it’s entirety and email it to a friend. I would like the freedom to quote the entire book of Jonah or Jude without being in violation. It seems to me that nomatter how much money I spend, no matter how many licenses I buy I do not have that freedom.
Here is a link to the NASB restrictions (the same restrictions are noted in my hardcopy NASB).
http://lockman.gospelcom.net/tlf/copyright.php#nasb
Phil – email – 2005-05-25 12:13:17
I didn’t say copyright violation is not wrong; I said it’s not stealing. Stealing involves depriving another party.
That’s a good point, Ben. You don’t want to have to think about whether or not what you are doing with the text is ok; you should be able to use it as you please.
I find for my own use it is often worth going over the KJV even if it seems awkward (The King’s English is the Best English), but I can see how you would be reluctant to offer it to someone else who may not be all that interested in the first place.
I tried using Young’s Literal Translation a while ago when I was looking around at Bible software. It was mostly a cursory look that I took, but it seemed to be quite readable.
