Logos Available on Torrents

I agree it's a massive shame.

A while back, Bob wrote about that,What Happens When You Steal a Bible - Logos Bible Software Blog

I commented on that here: What Happens When You Steal a Bible | Truth is Still Truth

no different, if you think about it, than pirating copies of Christian music cd's and Gaither videos, or churches duplicating print music.

All is illegal and stealing.

 

While looking around for some (legal) torrents, I searched for Logos just to see....

Torrents? What on earth are you guys talking about?

Brother Jerry, torrents are how most hackers/pirates transmit and download illegal (i.e. "pirated", neither legal nor properly paid for) software such as Photoshop, MicroSoft operating systems, music CDs and DVDs and such ... and now, sadly and sinfully, apparently Bible software, too.

However, torrent is apparently also utilized to transmit large legal, free software and  other files such as the non-copyrighted and/or copyright expired PBB, Personal Book Builder, Logos files. I assume (not always a wise thing to do where the internet is concerned) this is done because it is a faster and/or more efficient way to transmit large files or multiple files???

Hope that helps!

Debra

I assume (not always a wise thing to do where the internet is concerned) this is done because it is a faster and/or more efficient way to transmit large files or multiple files???

That's right Debra. The current load of PBB's hosted on my site mount to multiple gigabytes of data. Bittorrent was actually created to transmit that much data.

I just use the little "PBB Updater" (works fine with my Vista64) to keep up with my copyright expired, legal PBB Logos files which a generous Logos user over at Still Truth site developed and made freely available to us. Works for me, but then I have a high speed broadband connection and I don't automatically DL every PBB available.

Thank you for the website, BTW, as well!

Debra

There are some who are opposed to paying for Christian ministry, perhaps this is their rebellion?

There are some who are opposed to paying for Christian ministry, perhaps this is their rebellion?

For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain, and, the worker is worthy of his wages.
1 Timothy 5:18

Although it would seem that some are more worthy than others, especially in the Christian entertainment industry

 

Brother Jerry, torrents are how most hackers/pirates transmit and download illegal (i.e. "pirated", neither legal nor properly paid for) software such as Photoshop, MicroSoft operating systems, music CDs and DVDs and such

Oh, o.k. thanks, however my name is John. I think brother Jerry already knows what torrents are since he brought it up.

Man, it's like trying to keep up with adolescent slang. Some years ago I laughed at my young son the first time I saw him sporting his 3 sizes too large trousers dangling so low on his backside that most of his underwear was exposed. Boy, did he ever get mad at me for that. Good thing that I didn't know that it was gang banger, prison fashion or I might have been the one who got mad.

However, torrent is apparently also utilized to transmit large legal, free software and  other files such as the non-copyrighted and/or copyright expired PBB, Personal Book Builder, Logos files.

Well sure, why not. It's just software.

Yours in Christ

John

I still would like an answer from Logos if it is OK to download the PBB files. I assume it is, but I don't want to do it without an OK.

Jerry

It isn't really a legal issue but a safety question. I would highly recommend you avoid the torrent route and get the PBBs straight from Still Truth or other mirrors. Unless you KNOW your good torrent's hash value and take lots of precautions, you will end up regretting it.  I have cleaned a lot of people's computers of a lot of disgusting and damaging stuff because they used P2P file sharing. Even some files on CNET are infected. One website I scanned had 25% infected Public Domain files. It is just too risky.

Matthew, thank you. To your both posts I say 100% agreed. The "river" of torrents is so polluted that to fish there is very risky. Anyways, most good and "not contaminated  fish" you can find on other places.

Citizens of a capitalistic country who live by selling every thought they think, or every word they write, or every thing they make will not understand how "saved" persons enjoy "peaceful conscience" after using "stolen" software. 

The numerical system you use is the Hindu-Arabic numerical system. Each time you use these numerical symbols, are you paying a license fee to inhabitants of the Arab or Hindu world? The number 0 constitutes half of all digital data. It was invented by an Indian. In other words, half of all digital data (comprising of just zeroes and ones) belong to India. If you decide to pay for it, will you be able to? You make copyright and license laws according to your convenience and impose it on the world. 

You talk about ownership of songs and lyrics. How much money did you pay David or any of his descendants to use his psalms? How much money did you pay the Jews to use their Hebrew Bible? 

It is high time you learn from Christians in the developing world. We write songs and give it away. The most famous of our lyricists died in poverty. They never regretted their decision to give away their valuable lyrics to the Church. These songs get translated from one language to the other. No one here is bothered about selling rights to churches or individuals. Similarly, our sermons/books/presentations/magazine articles are available on the internet for free. (There are now some of us who are learning to sell each sermon or song; they too are now learning from you to say that they "own" their works).

How do you think a person in the Majority World can pay $500 or $800 for a Christian software or a set of commentary? There may be just a handful of Christians here who can afford to do so. Most evangelists and pastors in India live on $60 a month! Buying a PC (The Mac - your favorite machine - is way too expensive for us) is like buying a Merc. After we save up and buy a PC, we are left with no money to buy software. Yet, you do not offer a reduced rate for ministers or students from the Majority World. We can't afford your software. At the same time, we can't afford to be in the dark. When you light a candle with another candle, the first candle doesn't lose any of it's flame.

 It's easy to preach about the boy who gave up his lunch so that Jesus could feed the five thousand. Would you have done it, if you were in that boy's place, without signing a contract to receive royalty for each loaf and fish that Jesus created?

Citizens of a capitalistic country

Citizens of a socialist country are accustomed to receiving free handouts of lesser quality The capitalists also provide some free Bible software, if that is what you are asking for. In the book of Ruth we see Boaz harvests his crops, leaving just the gleanings for the poor. In the book of Acts Peter tells Ananias and Sapphira their land and money were theirs to do with as they pleased. They died for lying to the Holy Spirit, not for keeping their money back.

If you can steal to meet your needs without a guilty conscience, why should God bother blessing you? He already knows you will satisfy your desires by theft and don't need Him........

God loves a cheerful giver. Nobody likes to be stolen from. not even God. Malachi 3:10

I know of a source in കേരളം that will provide you many commentaries and Christian study materials in software for FREE. I don't think they give away computers, though.

I love when an old thread gets resurrected...[;)]

Point of fact:

• I deserve nothing from no one. 
• If someone makes, builds, writes, or in any other way creates something that he or she deems of value, no one (regardless of the product produced) has any right to say what is a fair or unfair price for it.
• If someone is selling something, and I think that the price is what I'm willing to pay, I buy it. If I think that it is too high, I don't buy it.

Now granted, modern philosophical thought will most assuredly disagree with the first two points, but then again, modern philosophical thought would think us fools for desiring Bible software in the first place.

But in the usual sense of the word, when I "buy" something, I own it and I can do whatever I want to do with it.

The problem here is with your misunderstanding of the relationship between users and the software companies. You are not buying the software. You are purchasing an "End User License Agreement" that entitles you to use the software conditionally.

Consider the recent purchase of QuickVerse by WordSearch and then WordSearch/QuickVerse by LifeWay. When ownership changes hands so does the decision making power. For the moment, LifeWay has stated they will retain the WordSearch staff and keep the QuickVerse software line alive.  Purchasing ownership of the Logos software costs a lot more than your EULA.  You will know you own Logos when you have the power to hire a new CEO, cancel all Pre-Pubs you don't agree with, and give the software away for free.  Until then your compliance will be governed by your conscience (maybe,) the government (possibly,) and God (definitely.)

"Handout" in a capitalistic country is fashionably called "[trillion dollar] government bail out."

Don't blame capitalism for "trillion-dollar-handouts."  Government cradle-to-grave provision is something our current society learned from Marx. Check out these two Logos resources to learn more:

1. Why Government Can't Save You  by John MacArthur
2. Seven Men Who Rule the World from the Grave  by Dave Breese

(for the rest of us: Just view an EULA like a drivers license that does not expire. You don't own the highway, you just get to use it conditionally. [au])