Larry Pierce
Dari SABDA Labs
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Larry Pierce pencipta program Online Bible versi Windows yang berasal dari Ontario, Kanada.
Berikut ini adalah wawancara Larry dengan Bob Rutter, penulis lepas dari Guelph, Ontario, Kanada (dekat Toronto), tahun 1955 With a background in data processing, Larry Pierce's search for an effective computer-driven Bible study tool was truly a natural desire. And in the process, it became a mission which today requires a full-time commitment. From his home office in Winterbourne Ontario Larry publishes and distributes what many regard as the most useful computer Bible available.
When he was searching in 1987 and could not find the answer to his needs, he started developing a software program which has grown into a popular and valuable reference tools for pastors, theology students and devoted Christians.
The Online Bible is known to many Christians throughout the world. Because of its compact size and light weight, a CD-ROM provides an advantage to missionaries in remote corners of the globe. In the jungles of Papua-New Guinea, New Tribes missionaries don't have the burden of hauling a large number of books overland to preach the Gospel. Instead, they use a battery-operated portable computer with the latest technology -- and a complete reference library on compact disk.
What began as a simple search and locate computer program eight years ago has evolved into a compendium of theological reference materials which currently has 15 versions of the English Bible and at least 30 foreign versions, including Hebrew and Greek. Also included are lexicons, Strong's Numbers, Creationism material and 644,000 cross-references.
Just how many copies are out there, no one knows. "Not a clue," Pierce explains. "It's a misleading question because we allow the material to be copied which is really unique because nobody else allows that. Anything we produce we allow people to freely copy. Not republish, there's a difference. We have a lot of volunteer help and it's not fair someone should profit from it."
What Larry Pierce does know is that various distributors have shipped out more than 60,000 manuals which represents only registered owners of the Online Bible who purchased their copy. "That's the tip of the iceberg for the number floating around out there because most don't bother to get the manuals." Since June, 1994, when he shifted production from floppy disk to CD-ROM, tens of thousands have been shipped.
"We basically got in on the ground floor," he said. "The few programs that were out there were prohibitively expensive -- around $1,200 for a complete package. Prices have dropped considerably since 1987 and Bible students can now choose from a wide range of excellent Bible study tools for a very reasonable cost."
In true Christian charity, Pierce said "our policy has always been to give them the (Online) Bible if they cannot afford it." The philosophy is simple: freely received; freely given. "Anyone who is interested in studying God's Word will have it."
"It is really not a business," he said. "It is more like a hobby that takes a lot of time each day. The reason I say that is that is that whatever money we receive, we either reinvest in new materials or find a good cause that needs help. We have revenue from other sources to live on."
In the early days, the simplicity of the program only allowed an authorised version Bible text. Today's CD-ROM has all the texts, notes, topics and commentary modules amounting to hundreds of megs of data. As technology advances, Pierce predicts the Online Bible will advance with it. On the horizon is new CD technology which will push disk capacity to 3 gigabytes, more than a fourfold increase, from today's nearly 600 megabytes.
The need to change to the CD format resulted from the Online Bible growing "bigger and bigger each year". Things got a little out of hand, Pierce admits, when Version 6 was completed in 1992 requiring between 20 and 30 high density floppy disks.
Using the CD-ROM technology will also help that missionary in Papua-New Guinea because it avoids a destructive virus which strikes computer floppy disks. It is a literal virus, a fungus which grows on the disk and separates the magnetic media, it contaminates the read-write heads and contaminates all future disks going into the (disk) drive," Pierce said. "What they have to do is keep all their disks in a hot box, a box with a light in it to keep the humidity out of it."
The first Bible text proofed by Pierce in 1987 showed eight verses missing. Because this is God's Word, no labour was spared in producing an accurate text. This took two years. The result is a reputation for accuracy which resulted in a unique request from the Queen's Printer in the United Kingdom. After 400 years, an electronic copy of an English language Bible goes back to where the print original came from.
One of his major projects has been Gill's Expositor. Three volunteers have been working with Pierce to proof the text of John Gill's Expositor. The work takes up about 55 megs of disk space. Gill's work gives him the distinction of having the most words in electronic form.
In the future is also the works of C.H. Spurgeon, the 63-volume Metropolitan Pulpit, who now has the most words in print. That should take up about 150 million characters of disk space. "The fact it's still in print after 100 years should tell you a lot." It will take five years to proof the entire work. Matthew Henry's and Matthew Poole's complete commentaries are also being looked at seriously for inclusion into the Online Bible. All this work takes time and Pierce devotes much of the working day, from about six onward to scanning, proofing and other duties. "It took us months to add in the Strong's numbers support. Now with the advances in technology, we can do much more than that each month."
Online Bible has financed putting Strong's Numbers into the French Bible, which was never done before. It also mapped the French back into Hebrew and Greek. And the same is now happening in Holland and Germany. Much of this work was done by volunteers who freely gave of their time. Eastern Europe has not been forgotten. Since the lifting of the Iron Curtain, translations have been made into Russian, Romanian and Albanian. Vietnamese was recently completed. But what Pierce really desires is a translation in Portuguese. There are several translations into other more popular languages, two in Italian, for example, but nothing in Portuguese.
The Online Bible takes a strict theological view, with a very high view of the Scriptures especially Genesis. "I find it amazing that people will take the word of fallible scientists who do not know everything and were not present when God created the world instead of God who was there, knows everything and has yet to make his first mistake."
The Lord called him to salvation when he was eight and he was baptized at the age of eight. He is currently in fellowship at the Brethren assembly, Woodside Bible Fellowship.
disadur dari http://www.online-bible.com/larry.html Lihat juga http://www.mail-archive.com/sword-devel@crosswire.org/msg04552.html
Wawancara dengan "Bible Software Review", tanggal tidak diketahui
Bible Software Review: By way of an introduction, please give us any personal information you'd like to share with our readers.
Larry Pierce: I have been married since 1975 with my wife Marion and live in the little village of Winterbourne, in Ontario.
BSR:When did your company start, and why did you feel the need to set this project off?
LP: We started doing this (Online Bible) in Oct/1987 when we got the KJV text from Public Brand Software.
BSR: What is your current role in the company?
LP: Minor. It is basically a full time hobby.
BSR: When you look back, what would you identify as being the single greatest feat in the history of Bible software?
LP: Development of the Windows platform to allow sophisticated software to be developed for Biblical research. The Internet would be a close second which allowed the rapid distribution of such software.
BSR: What segment of Bible software users do you consider to be your main target?
LP: Native language users, e.g. English, Dutch, French &c. We have some of the original languages but we do not excel in that.
BSR: In your opinion, what are the three most salient features of your application?
LP: Rapid searches, access to a wealth of material. All biblical software basically has the same features. Use whatever you feel most comfortable with.
BSR: If you had to recommend the use of Bible software to someone who has never been exposed to it before, how would you go about it?
LP: I would not. First develop good study biblical habits then and only then examine software to allow you do do it quicker and in more depth. If you do not know how to study, buying a computer program will not help you!
BSR: Why do you think people should consider using your software?
LP: Software is a personal choice and no one vendor has everything. Ours is easy to use and is free from the Internet. Many people use it exclusively. Others find other programs that better suit their style.
My program reflects the way I study, which is basically inductive, starting with the Bible. If that is your style, then my program should satisfy your needs. Otherwise use something that is more suitable for you.
BSR: What is the primary use you make of your own software?
LP: Study, since I am not an active minister.
BSR: Is there any feature lacking in Bible software in general, that you would love to see implemented soon?
LP: No.
BSR: Are there any specific plans to port the software to other platforms? (Mac, Linux, PDA...)
LP: We have had a Mac version for a dozen years. Others have used our databases to develop Palm versions. Linux is a dark horse and until it gets more market share I see no point doing anything for it.
BSR: Besides English, is or will your software be available in other languages in the foreseeable future?
LP: We already have about a dozen European interfaces plus most languages in Europe have at least one or more versions available.
BSR: From your perspective, what should Bible software be heading for in the years to come?
LP: I do not know what the future holds so I cannot say.
BSR: Would you like to add or share anything not covered in the previous questions?
LP: No.
BSR: Thank you so much for your time!
disadur dari http://www.bsreview.org/index.php?modulo=Interviews&id=10
Artikel tentang Larry di http://creationwiki.org/
Larry Pierce is a prolific writer, Latin scholar, and the developer of the Online Bible. Today he is retired but continues his study of ancient history. He is best known for translating The Annals of the World from the original Latin into English. He has also mounted a challenge to the currently accepted telescoped chronology of the Divided Kingdoms Northern and Southern, on the theory that the Assyrian chronology of secular archaeologists is flawed, inconsistent, marred by historical revisionism even by some of the rulers of Assyria themselves, and generally ought not be given primacy over the Bible.
Selected Bibliography
The following articles are available on-line at Answers in Genesis:
- The World: Born in 4004BC?
- Who Begat Whom? (with Dr. Ken Ham)
- The Large Ships of Antiquity Creation ex nihilo 22(3):46–48 June 2000
- Niagara Falls and the Bible Creation ex nihilo 22(4):8–13 September 2000
- Evidentialism–the Bible and Assyrian chronology TJ 15(1):62–68 April 2001
- Detailed treatment of the chronology of the Divided Kingdoms (requires PDF reader)
disadur dari http://creationwiki.org/Larry_Pierce
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