24 replies to this topic

[Josh Bond]

Just before starting this website in 2011, I met Brent Hildebrand who also became a great friend. Brent was creating ToolTip (sometimes called T3 for ToolTip 3 and then T4  for ToolTip 4 and later just ToolTip NT). ToolTip is the software tool used to author most e-Sword modules on this website, along with a few commercial ones as well. ToolTip has been used for a lot of non-intuitive things over the years, such as creating modules destined for other Bible software formats and using e-Sword only as an intermediary format. The bottom line: Brent's impact has been huge!

 

When I met Brent and asked if I could promote his software on this website, I asked for a few changes to the program. I was surprised that later that day that he made the changes so quickly. I've had real (paid) employees over the years (in real businesses) who weren't as responsive as Brent's volunteer work for this volunteer website. Brent would go on to manage this 82 page thread on ToolTip, answering questions and adding features.

 

That's really just the tip of the iceberg because over a hundred other support threads popped up over the years, and I know a number of people contacted him directly as well. I have over 1,100 emails from Brent in the 7 years I've known him!  When e-Sword started using the TextControl add-on, Brent licensed a copy for ToolTip using his own money (and TextControl is not inexpensive!). Brent has invested thousands of hours in ToolTip and other non-authoring utility programs, like e-Sword Hot Key and Bible Search Tool. 

 

What makes this most impressive to me is Brent is not a programmer by trade! Most (in real life) know him as Dr. Brent Hildebrand, an anesthesiologist in California.  

 

With Brent's permission, I wanted to let everyone know that Brent was diagnosed with terminal cancer a few months ago. After various treatments appeared to have initially worked, the cancer is now spreading extremely fast and has impacted his mobility. I wanted to announce this publicly for a couple of reasons: 

 

1) I am exceptionally grateful for Brent's work on ToolTip which made this website's ministry possible. With him responsible for the authoring tool, I could focus on putting together module content and assembling this site. His ministry made mine possible.

 

2) Absent divine healing in the next few months, there will come a day when Brent will no longer be able to respond here for support and feature requests. I wanted to let everyone know what is happening, since he interacts here so often. 

 

I would like everyone to remember Brent, and his family, in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate the road ahead.

 

Thank you for reading, and thank you to Brent for your great service for so many years!

 

Josh 

[APsit190]

Hi Josh,

I couldn't agree more with you about Brent. From the tone of his posts, and the way the bloke seems to present himself (despite not actually having met him), the impression I get he is an extremely warm and receptive person, and one that is willing to go more than the extra proverbial mile for you. The picture I seem to get is that of him being somewhat similar to Ben Carson, which is, quietly spoken, very forthright, and knows what he is about.

 

The only downside of this, is that he's not at my end of the world, as I think it would be really interesting to meet him and to actually get to know him.

 

So on that note, here is my prayer for Brent.

 

Father, I thank You for Brent. Thank You that You have your hand on his life, and that he is secured in you. I pray that by your grace and goodness, Lord, you heal Brent, and that, God, he is strengthened by You.

 

I thank You, God for the impact that he has and had on this community, and for the way you have used him, and still use him. I thank You, Lord, for the gifts you have given to Brent so that he has been enabling us to be able to share you Word and bless one another with the tools he has provided for us.

 

You know, God, it would be really great to see Your hand moving over him, and healing him of this disease, in Jesus name. Amen

 

Blessings,

[RevSteve]

I will praying for Brent and his family. My our God be the source of comfort and consolation during these times. BTW, thanks Brent for your great software and all the work you do here.

[exscentric]

Thanks Josh for letting us know.  Been thinking of what to post since I saw it the day you posted it.  I'm a guy with few words and even fewer in this situation.  Will be praying!!!

[johanseb]

Thanks for all you gave us!

Blessings

[journey]

Brent,

 

I will be praying for you and your family. May God give you comfort and strength in the days ahead. I will also be praying that God gives you healing.

[mrpastewart]

Prayers going up for Brent and his family. Time like these can be taxing for everyone effected by such situations I lost my father 18 years ago to cancer it was very ruff seams like yesterday and not a day goes by that he is not with me, my thoughts and prayers are with you and yours. Also, I hate to be the one who ask and forgive me if this has been asked somewhere else but if something happens to Brent or even Rick for that matter what happens to the e-Sword community? Have steps been taken to make sure that the community can still thrive and exist beyond the mortal lives of it's original authors? As it stands Tooltip is the only way I know of to create content for e-Sword what will happen when Brent can't no longer keep it going? will it just cease to exist or become unmaintained? I ask because it would be such a shame for all the hard work that these folks have put in to suddenly just go away one day. Has anyone ever asked this question? There are software escrow entities that source code can be deposited with so that if something happens to the founders or authors the project can continue as a community effort. just curious, I in a personal capacity like many others have invested a lot of money, time and in some cases efforts to using e-sword and tooltip in all things spiritual and would not relish it's end in any capacity.

[Josh Bond]

Hi,

 

The development of ToolTip will not continue without Brent, at least not in its current form. Brent wrote ToolTip in a niche language called APL. While the language is very powerful, it's also very different than modern programming languages because of it's usage of symbols. The language was first a mathematical notation and the programmatic implementation uses matrix algebra. It's just a very different way of thinking and problem solving. 

 

Josh

 

Prayers going up for Brent and his family. Time like these can be taxing for everyone effected by such situations I lost my father 18 years ago to cancer it was very ruff seams like yesterday and not a day goes by that he is not with me, my thoughts and prayers are with you and yours. Also, I hate to be the one who ask and forgive me if this has been asked somewhere else but if something happens to Brent or even Rick for that matter what happens to the e-Sword community? Have steps been taken to make sure that the community can still thrive and exist beyond the mortal lives of it's original authors? As it stands Tooltip is the only way I know of to create content for e-Sword what will happen when Brent can't no longer keep it going? will it just cease to exist or become unmaintained? I ask because it would be such a shame for all the hard work that these folks have put in to suddenly just go away one day. Has anyone ever asked this question? There are software escrow entities that source code can be deposited with so that if something happens to the founders or authors the project can continue as a community effort. just curious, I in a personal capacity like many others have invested a lot of money, time and in some cases efforts to using e-sword and tooltip in all things spiritual and would not relish it's end in any capacity.

[BH.]

Miracles happen.  I've been steadily getting better.  Hoping for a durable response.  I was using a wheelchair 6 week ago, would struggle to get out of a chair.  Now I'm with very little pain.  I have a damaged hip that makes walking painful, but I can walk! 
 

Psalms 139:13-16

(13) For you have possessed my reins: you have covered me in my mother’s womb.

(14) I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are your works; and that my soul knows right well.

(15) My substance was not hid from you, when I was made in secret, and curiously worked in the lowest parts of the earth.

(16) Your eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in your book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalms 103:1-6

(1) Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

(2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

(3) Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases;

(4) Who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies;

(5) Who satisfies your mouth with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

(6) The LORD executes righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

 

#oncology #immunotherapy #42dollarsadrop #beforeandafter #feelingbetter #onedayatatime #thankful #survivorsguilt #longroadahead #imnotdeadyet

 

A coronal view of a past and present CT scan showing resolving disease:

 

 Coronal View.JPG   65.19K   13 downloads

[APsit190]

Miracles happen.  I've been steadily getting better.  Hoping for a durable response.  I was using a wheelchair 6 week ago, would struggle to get out of a chair.  Now I'm with very little pain.  I have a damaged hip that makes walking painful, but I can walk! 
 

Psalms 139:13-16

(13) For you have possessed my reins: you have covered me in my mother’s womb.

(14) I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are your works; and that my soul knows right well.

(15) My substance was not hid from you, when I was made in secret, and curiously worked in the lowest parts of the earth.

(16) Your eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in your book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalms 103:1-6

(1) Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

(2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

(3) Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases;

(4) Who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies;

(5) Who satisfies your mouth with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

(6) The LORD executes righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

 

#oncology #immunotherapy #42dollarsadrop #beforeandafter #feelingbetter #onedayatatime #thankful #survivorsguilt #longroadahead #imnotdeadyet

 

A coronal view of a past and present CT scan showing resolving disease:

 

Coronal View.JPG

Hi Brent,

Praise God for what He is doing in you.

 

Everytime I hear things like this, this verse of Scripture comes to mind because it really expresses the heart of God toward us.

 

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. (Lam 3:22-23 RSV)

 

And the beaut thing about it, is one can sing it as well. Woo!

 

 

Blessings,