16 replies to this topic

[APsit190]

The half life of a smartphone is around eighteen months.

If a Smartphone's half life is around 18 months (full life would then be about 3 years) and then considering the cost for a new one at every three years, seems to me that electronic versions of the Bible don't last as long as a hard copy.

I gave up paper Bibles a couple of years ago.

And then when you have a power failure, or you Mobile device goes on the blink, lost it, or it got run over by a big truck, then you don't have a Bible.

So, when I look at these things I reckon it would be wise to keep your hard copy of the Bible. The bottom line is that you still have one.

For me, there is nothing that actually beats picking up your (paper) Bible, opening it up and begin reading it. Software Bibles are good but you're tied to a machine in order to read it. Take a Bible with you for a walk, and you don't have to worry about you mobile device's battery going flat on you. If you go hiking, camping, or something like that, the hard copy of the Bible just doesn't crap out on you. Moreover, nothing beats the feel of a hard copy of the Bible.

Blessings,

[pfpeller]

If a Smartphone's half life is around 18 months (full life would then be about 3 years) and then considering the cost for a new one at every three years, seems to me that electronic versions of the Bible don't last as long as a hard copy.



And then when you have a power failure, or you Mobile device goes on the blink, lost it, or it got run over by a big truck, then you don't have a Bible.

So, when I look at these things I reckon it would be wise to keep your hard copy of the Bible. The bottom line is that you still have one.

For me, there is nothing that actually beats picking up your (paper) Bible, opening it up and begin reading it. Software Bibles are good but you're tied to a machine in order to read it. Take a Bible with you for a walk, and you don't have to worry about you mobile device's battery going flat on you. If you go hiking, camping, or something like that, the hard copy of the Bible just doesn't crap out on you. Moreover, nothing beats the feel of a hard copy of the Bible.

Blessings,

I definately keep my paper Bibles around to dust off in case I need them....

Most of my devotional quiet time occurs in the early morning in my car when it is still dark or at night lying in bed. That is just the season of life I am in with three little ones/ work/ and church activities. If I want quiet time alone with the Lord, then it is often in the dark. For this, a smartphone/ tablet Bible with lighted screen is much easier to work with than a paper Bible. I can barely read the paper Bible with just the lighting in my car.

I wish I had time to walk by myself when it is daylight , but I very thankful for the amazing children the Lord has given me.

Blessings,
Peter

[jonathon]

Search for "toddler games" in the google play market and there is a seemingly endless list of apps.

I had no idea. OTOH, I've never searched for that term. I usually only search for Biblical or religious software.
I accidently deleted the store app on the iPhone I was given.

jonathon

[jonathon]

Software Bibles are good but you're tied to a machine in order to read it. Take a Bible with you for a walk, and you don't have to worry about you mobile device's battery going flat on you. If you go hiking, camping, or something like that, the hard copy of the Bible just doesn't crap out on you.

With a mobile device, I can carry my entire theological library with me. The limiting factor is how big an SD card I have for my mobile device. (A requirement that eliminates Apple mobile devices from consideration.) I'll grant that I need a 128 GB SD disk, to carry the 250K PDF and ePub files I currently have, albeit only half of it is explicitly theological in orientation.

jonathon

[Marvin]

There are times when I want to read a real book. When I was in the U. S.Navy (1970-19090), I attempted to take as large a theological library with me as I could on board ship when I was deployed. I brought a good reference library and purchased a microfilm library of non-copywrighted reference materials from AMG Publishers in microfische along with a portable battery/socket powered microfische reader. I mannaged to squeeze all of that into one seabag and a carry-on soft bag along with my complete complement of required uniforms. etc. I did a lot of Bible teaching in cooperation with the Chaplains Department. That had to serve us for six to ten months. I got used to a paperless reference library. That technology has since gone the way of the dodo. Now, as I mentioned in a previous post, I have a very complete reference library on my Kindle. I had to purchase most of my Bibles and reference books, but they are much cheaper on a Kindle than they are in paper. I have already mentioned that if you get a true (non color) reader using electronic ink technology, you only need to recharge your battery every week or two. (They advertise up to four weeks but I am a very heavy user.) The screen is not self lighted. That way I can read in bright sunlight when the glare would fade out a normal tablet screen. If you get a good case for your reader, it probably has a light built in for times when you can't get a normal light. Remember that you need a light to read paper books too. I have used my built in case light a few times but it has rarely been necessary. Amazon has a great guarantee on their Kindle. I have already used it once when my Kindle screen went bad. If your Kindle goes bad for any reason, they will replace it with an updated equivalent model of your original Kindle for $40. When you get the new Kindle, Amazon has a list of all of the books that you have already purchased in your account. A list of those books is downloaded to your new Kindle and you just upload the books you want by clicking on the relevant titles (not just Bile referene materials). I had my complete library restored within three or four hours of receiving the new kindle through the mail. Total down time was about four days. My reader has 4 Gigabytes of memory. I have used less than 1 Gigabyte of that and I am a heavy reader.

Would I give up paper reference books? Not on your life. Nevertheless, the paperless method sure does help instead of carrying a much larger Bible to church and is great if I need to travel with a complete reference library. I think that a good electronic ink technology reader has solved most of the problems mentioned by people here using tablets for their portable Bibles. A tablet is not a reader. Tablets have their purpose. E-readers have theirs. Tablets may be used as readers with a number of disadvantages. Readers may be used as tablets with an equal number of different disadvantages. If you really want a paperless reference library consider a good reader. (I just wish they had had readers back when I had to lug my microfische reference library on board ship for each cruise.)

[APsit190]

Hi Marvin,
In more ways than I can count, I agree with you. My current e-Sword Library I have is quite large, and if were to have the hard copies of all the Bibles and Study resources, I would not have anywhere to put them. Moreover, I don't think I would have been able to afford them especially after having looked at the prices of them.

In many respects, I think that as a result of e-Sword, that many found a way of being able to serve God by the creating of modules for e-Sword. The amount of Theological works available for e-Sword is astounding. Then when you look at Commentaries and Dictionaries available for e-Sword, one is gobsmacked at what is available.

I'm not a huge resource creator, but the few that I have created I know have found a place in many homes where people are being blessed and encouraged by them. I think I can say in quite confidence, this would be the same with all the modules available.

I don't know how long you have used e-Sword for and if you have noticed the incredible growth it has enjoyed. For me, I seen some incredible developments with this program, and as a result an surge of module creation that cannot be compared with any other free Bible software.

This library is perhaps the largest electronic Bible software library available to anyone. Just to imagine the titles that are available here is astounding. Then you take the amount of traffic on this site downloading from this site is also quite astounding.

Josh had a couple of times put up the stats of what happens on this site. I think that he doesn't anymore because the stats keep getting bigger and bigger as each month goes by.

So, all I can say about this, is that we are truly blessed as a result of BibleSupport and the work that is done here.

I also want to put in a plug in for eStudySource, as I believe they are also doing an incredible job of being able to bring out some of the finest premium resources for e-Sword. Fair enough we have to pay for them, and that said, I believe if we actually buy them, then we are getting hold of stuff that is perhaps the best out there.

Blessings,

[Marvin]

Hi APsit190,

I couldn't agree with you more. I have been using e-Sword practically since it's inception. My e-Sword library, while not as large as some that I read about here, is far larger than anything I could afford in paper. Yet I have a large library of real books, About half of those books are Bibles and Bible reference books. My comments about my Kindle were simply relating to portability. I would rather carry a reader around than a laptop.

I believe that e-Sword is one of the greatest blessings to have come along for Bible students since moveable type. I should include others of its ilk such as Word Bible Software which I believe are spreading a tremendous blessing also. I am just not familiar with them. I have purchased a number of modern up-to-date books from eStudySource. I appreciate the fact that we can get the latest Bible reference materials at a fraction of what we would have to pay for a paper copy.

Once again, I agree wholeheartedly with your post.

Blessings to you and to all work to help make e-Sword and e-Sword Bible Support the wonderful ministrys that they are.