Creating my own bible with a version not available

[kpurcell]

I wonder if it is acceptable/legal to create a version of the Bible using the electronic text from another program. Specifically, the new Holman Christian Standard Bible is not available from BW and I would like to use it in my study. I have an electronic version that I have purchased from Lifeway Christian Store and have been exporting it chapter by chapter into a file that can be used in BW. It his unethical? If so, is there any chance that BW might make it available any time soon?

[tomc]

The standard answer is to contact Broadman & Holman about it, which I definitely suggest. I have been in contact with them about using the HCSB on my website bible search tool and they got back to me the same day I used the email form on their website.

Whatever you decide, it is definitely against the licensing to distribute the file if you get it in a format for bibleworks.

I do feel your pain, there are bible versions that I've paid for 3 or 4 times now in different software packages.

[tcblack]

Tom is right (I like saying that)
Chances are pretty good if you look at the copyright data in your program, you'll discover that it says something akin to "This cannot be reformated and retransmitted in any way.....blah blah blah."
All that means you bought the right to use that text with that program only.

[kpurcell]

The standard answer is to contact Broadman & Holman about it, which I definitely suggest.

So you think they might actually allow me to do this so long as I don't distribute it ... which I have no intention of doing. I know that would be wrong.

[tomc]

I think the odds are pretty good. It seems like their goal wasn't to make gobs of money, they are distributing thousands of them for free.

[jdarlack]

If one distributes a macro or program for compiling texts that are under copyright, but does not distribute the text itself, is there a problem?


~Jim

[BBeers]

"This cannot be reformated and retransmitted in any way.....blah blah blah."

I have seen this wording on another electronic Bible version...the ESV--which now is included with BW.

The Michaels will probably get it into BW so maybe you can look forward to that.

[tcblack]

If one distributes a macro or program for compiling texts that are under copyright, but does not distribute the text itself, is there a problem?

Under BW5 when we were first trying to get the NET into BW we couldn't distribute compiled versions but we could distribute a compiler that would parse the text into something useable wich Jeff Jackson did. (Thanks Jeff) Each user could then DL the NET and crunch it with Jeff's program.

On the Flip side, I asked permission of Lockman to put the Amplified version --which you can download via their website for free-- into BW, they denied permission so I didn't.

So to answer your question, it's most likely not an issue, as long as the users don't mind obeying copyright, which should be a given.