Bilingual Side-By-Side Display for Digital Gospel Library

So you have the BIG idea that the Church or community needs to develop. Discuss that idea here. Maybe you just want to make a suggestion on a new forum topic. Let us know.
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RBY7
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Location: Volcan, Chiriqui, Panama

Bilingual Side-By-Side Display for Digital Gospel Library

#1

Post by RBY7 »

This posting is aimed at those of you who are developing or using the Gospel Library in its digital form in any mobile, smartphone, or web tablet form that have a need to access the Library in two languages.

I am hoping to get the mobile development teams (Android, etc.) to work on this idea and bring it to fruition.

Using the Book of Mormon as an example, my dream setup would look something like this:

The current Gospel Library app would display any of the Standard Works in two side by side panes on the landscape screen with, let's say The Book of Mormon in English on the left side (say 3Nephi 1:1) and another copy of the same chapter/verse in Spanish on the right (3Nefi 1:1).

I do realize that it is currently possible in Gospel Library to have the same scripture opened in two different languages but they are in different windows. And I do now use that feature, but it is cumbersome for one learning a new language because of the need to switch back and forth which does not allow for simultaneously viewing both language versions. This request is for an enhancement of that feature.

In my proposed idea, both language versions would be present on the same screen at the same time. What would make this idea especially useful to the person trying to study/teach/learn in two languages would be if they could track together in the app - each with the other language version when scrolled, thus being able to track with the other one to the same Chapter/verse simultaneously. That is to say if the user chose to jump to another scripture, both the English and Spanish panel versions would change to the new standard work:book:chapter:verse.

While this is more important for the scriptures, if this concept could then also be applied to the rest of the Gospel Library, what a blessing that would be to the total missionary effort in line with the promise that the Gospel will be preached in everyone's native language.

Imagine being a teacher whose native language is English being able to access and read the most recent General Conference address by President Monson in both his/her native language as well as the one he/she is trying to master and teach with. Such an enhancement would also greatly benefit every student in the class who had the Gospel Library open on his/her web tablet. Class sessions as well as personal study would flow much more efficiently.


BILINGUAL SIDE-BY-SIDE DISPLAY FOR GOSPEL LIBRARY
1) This idea would probably work best in a tablet form factor because of needed screen real estate.
2) Left side pane would be used for users native language, right side pane for translated host country language
3) App would allow for simultaneous display of the same content, at the same time, in two languages
4) App would scroll/move/replace content in right pane at the same time that the left pane was changed.
5) In Central and South America (and increasingly in the USA), there is a great interest in learning English. This would facilitate that effort. Although certainly anyone serving and teaching or trying to learn in a language other than their native language would be hugely benefited.
6) For those of us who are living/serving in a country other than our native country, such an app would have a great impact on our ability to study, share and communicate in the host language. Language proficiency in the host country language would also be greatly enhanced.

I have had the dream of being able to access the Standard Works simultaneously in two languages for over seven years now and I have been laboriously copying and pasting both English and Spanish versions copied from LDS.org side-by-side into a Word document, but this is a very slow process for an individual to do that does not possess computer coding skills.

I am hoping that if you have read this far and find this idea to be a useful one that you will reply, either here or to me personally. Let me know what your ideas or enhancements to this idea would look like. Thanks.

Rich Young
Volcan, Panama, Central America
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mfmohlma
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#2

Post by mfmohlma »

RBY7 wrote:I have had the dream of being able to access the Standard Works simultaneously in two languages for over seven years now and I have been laboriously copying and pasting both English and Spanish versions copied from LDS.org side-by-side into a Word document, but this is a very slow process for an individual to do that does not possess computer coding skills.
I realize your post is an enhancement request for the mobile app, but you can save yourself a lot of time by downloading LDS View at this link and view scriptures side-by-side on your Windows desktop computer. (Interestingly enough, it appears that there is also a link for a Windows Mobile install, but it looks like it's only for WM 7.1.)
RBY7
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Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2012 1:12 pm
Location: Volcan, Chiriqui, Panama

Bilingual Side-By-Side Display for Digital Gospel Library

#3

Post by RBY7 »

mfmohlma wrote:I realize your post is an enhancement request for the mobile app, but you can save yourself a lot of time by downloading LDS View at this link and view scriptures side-by-side on your Windows desktop computer. (Interestingly enough, it appears that there is also a link for a Windows Mobile install, but it looks like it's only for WM 7.1.)

Thank you mfmohlma for your thoughtful suggestion. I really appreciate it.
The LDSViews is a helpful alternate approach although regrettably it does not address my real purpose in requesting that the Android dev team pursue this for mobile devices - especially for the tablet form factor. There are several reasons why I say this:

1) The Windows mobile approach is going to have a limited audience and with the burgeoning number of Android devices being sold that will become even more true as time moves on.
2) Having the ability to view the scriptures in two (or more) languages side-by-side on a PC is fine for home but pretty useless when it comes to Sunday meetings, institute and seminary, not to mention those moments when one has some spare time during the week when the scriptures can be opened and studied for just a few minutes of otherwise unproductive time, such as in a car, train, bus or airplane.
3) Installing LDSView on a laptop was perhaps a partial answer to the dilemma just a few short years ago but with the mobile device explosion, laptops are quickly being left behind for more mobile situations. As an example in a teaching situation, it is so simple to hold a web tablet (with the Gospel Library displayed) in one hand while standing at a blackboard at the front of a class room.
4) The LDSView is only for the LDS-specific scriptures and does not provide for the Old and New Testament nor the Topical Guide, Bible Dictionary or the JST verses. This is a real disadvantage when added to the foregoing.

Nevertheless I am appreciative of the effort of the LDSView work and the role it can play but I am really hoping that if we can bring this concept to the Android mobile world (and the Apple IOS as well), it will have a huge impact in the third world especially because of the ubiquitous nature of the Gospel Library app.

Rich
Panama
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mfmohlma
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#4

Post by mfmohlma »

RBY7 wrote:Thank you mfmohlma for your thoughtful suggestion. I really appreciate it.
No problem. I didn't want you to have to copy any more pages to a Word document when this fine program exists.
RBY7 wrote:The LDSViews is a helpful alternate approach although regrettably it does not address my real purpose in requesting that the Android dev team pursue this for mobile devices - especially for the tablet form factor.
I agree. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.
RBY7 wrote:1) The Windows mobile approach is going to have a limited audience and with the burgeoning number of Android devices being sold that will become even more true as time moves on.
Yep. I almost didn't mention it. It mostly shows the timeframe in which LDS View was developed and the pace at which future mobile computing is moving.
RBY7 wrote:2) Having the ability to view the scriptures in two (or more) languages side-by-side on a PC is fine for home but pretty useless when it comes to Sunday meetings. <snip>
3) Installing LDSView on a laptop was perhaps a partial answer to the dilemma just a few short years ago but with the mobile device explosion, laptops are quickly being left behind for more mobile situations. <snip>
True.
RBY7 wrote:4) The LDSView is only for the LDS-specific scriptures and does not provide for the Old and New Testament nor the Topical Guide, Bible Dictionary or the JST verses.
Not quite. I have all 4 standard works in Spanish and English on my computer. The Bible is even the new 2009 Reina Valera version! :) I'm learning a bit of Hebrew too with the Parallel English Bible.
RBY7 wrote:I am really hoping that if we can bring this concept to the Android mobile world (and the Apple IOS as well), it will have a huge impact in the third world especially because of the ubiquitous nature of the Gospel Library app.
I agree and I'll second your idea. Since I'm just a user like you that's about all I can do.

Matt
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