SOB Forum

Just in case you don't know, theWord program isn't free software, and you should be aware of the many technical and legal restrictions which make the program both useless and dangerous for its users. theWord doesn't qualify as free software on the following four essential rights a computer user deserves:

• Svoboda spustit program za jakýmkoliv účelem. This license is designed to ensure that theWord remains free for everyone and is not used in any way to promote any profit generating activities that are outside the scope of the Software. Exceptions to this rule apply only if there is a written agreement with the Author of the Software.
• Svoboda studovat, jak program pracuje a přizpůsobit ho svým potřebám. Předpokladem k výše uvedenému je přístup ke zdrojovému kódu. The source code is not free or available to download or view. You may not reverse-engineer the program binary file (theword.exe) or any encrypted module. Some modules are encrypted to protect their copyrighted content from unauthorized duplication. You must respect this protection and not attempt to copy, extract, modify, and/or reuse such content.
• Svoboda redistribuovat kopie, abyste pomohli vašemu kolegovi. You can copy theWord freely for personal use and give it away to friends, relatives, etc., as long as you do not charge for it in any way. You may not charge for duplication costs, media costs, or even postage costs. If you undertake the task of giving copies of theWord to others, you must do it for free. You may not sell or resell this program or distribute it as a part of a commercial package or any other profit generating activity, even if the distribution is free. You may not bundle the Software (even if the media is free) with any other product (e.g. enclose in a book, distribute with tracts) or make it appear that the Software is an add-on, bonus pack, extra-service, etc., that the end-user gets as a bonus for any service, product, activity of yours. You may not host theWord software executable files, installation files, or any other official files that can be found at the official website (http://www.theword.net) on your website. You may not post any files or archives containing the Software itself or any other files related to the Software in any software repository, peer-to-peer network, or other file-sharing website or program. You may not charge for add-on modules or auxiliary utilities without written permission from the Author. Some modules are encrypted to protect their copyrighted content from unauthorized duplication. You must respect this protection and not attempt to copy, extract, modify, and/or reuse such content. If you choose to redistribute the Software as part of an "official" package (e.g. your own CD compilation with a custom CD cover or label) you must contact the Author [...] to obtain written permission.
• Svoboda vylepšovat program a zveřejňovat zlepšení, aby z nich mohla mít prospěch celá komunita. Předpokladem k výše uvedenému je přístup ke zdrojovému kódu. The source code is not free or available to download or view. Some modules are encrypted to protect their copyrighted content from unauthorized duplication. You must respect this protection and not attempt to copy, extract, modify, and/or reuse such content.

Additionally:

• I, Costas Stergiou (the Author), reserve the right to [...] alter these conditions, at any time.
• theWord is only available for a non-free operating system.

Therefore it isn't a good idea to work with/for theWord in any field of bible text digitalization or to recommend the software to users, which then may get misguided about the need and best approach of free bible texts and bible software in thinking it would solve any of the legal and technical problems that exist in this field (and which are actually imposed by such restrictive licensing), just because it is gratis. If you want more information about the importance of awareness that software developers have a responsibility for the freedom and rights of their computer users, which they can ensure or drop/ignore/abuse via their licensing and technical work, hear some of Richard Stallmans (founder of the Free Software Foundation) speeches, this one (how he got to the idea of free software) or this one (what free software is) or this one (Copyright vs. Community). In case you want to start to do some work in bible digitalization, we may work together in establishing a process for doing so in a "free software way" for Czech speaking people.