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Gospel Parallels on the computer
Tom,
I have a catalog dated May 1990 from
Gamma Productions, Inc.
710 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 609
Santa, Monica, CA 90401
Tel (213) 394-8622
FAX (213) 395-4214
Within this catalog were a number of software packages from a
variety of sources. On page 13 there is an advertisement for an
"Electronic Synopsis of the Four Gospels" from Alaph [sic] Beth
Computer Systems. The ad includes a display of four windows, two
on each side of the screen and two stacked above one another.
Matthew and Mark are side by side and Luke and John are side by
side and below Matthew and Mark.
The "Main Menu" includes buttons for "Help," "Config", "Print," and
"Quit." The "Display By" window includes buttons for "Topic,"
"Chapter," and "Verse." At the bottom of the window there are
buttons for "King James," "Syriac," "Greek," "RSV," "Vulgate," and
"Others."
The text of the ad reads, "The *Electronic Synopsis of the Four
Gospels* is a menu-driven, window based program that displays
complete parallel passages from all four Gospels. Parallels may be
selected by topic, or by chapter and verse. The *Synopsis* program
comes with the King James Version of the Gospels. The Revised
Standard Version is also available, as well as the Greek, Syriac, Coptic
and Latin Gospels. Greek and Syriac appear with vowels and
diacritical marks.
System Requirements IBM PC XT/AT/PS2 (or 100% compatible) *
512 K * hard disk * DOS 2.0 or later * most graphics cards supported
* mouse optional."
Price: Synopsis program with King James Version $ 195.00
Other Gospel versions (RSV, Greek, Syriac Peshitta, Coptic or Latin
Vulgate): $ 25.00 each.
Thus ends the reading from the catalog. The system requirements
indicate something of the vintage of this ad.
I have never seen the program operate, heard anything else about it,
or even called to see if this company is still in business. I work with
a MAC, so I couldn' t use this program and have not kept up with its
developments. I would be very interested in finding out what you
learn from your inquiry to the net.
Some of my colleagues and I have been composing synopses of
particular passages for years and we have even talked, at one time,
with a programmer about a MAC synopsis. We are still interested in
developing such an electronic synopsis, but composing a good one is a
considerable task and would require some significant funding.
Would you be interested in working on such a project? I hope to
convince the SBL to support the initiation of a unit of the national
meeting that would oversee the composition of an electronic synopsis
for the MAC.
I am aware that Daryl Schmidt at T. C. U. is working on a Greek
synopsis, but I do not remember whether there are plans to publish
it in electronic form. If so, I think it would also be for DOS machines.
I agree with your judgements about the value of such a tool and
would like to be part of a team that would produce an electronic
synopsis for the MAC. I would be interested to learn about others
who might be willing to join such a team. All of this assumes that
there is not "something up and running." The ad I have given you is
all I know about anything for the DOS environment and I am not
aware of anything that is currently available for the MAC. Since
printed synopses come in a variety of lay-outs, I would assume that,
even if there is something up and running for the MAC of which I am
unaware, there might still be a need for another tool of this kind.
David B. Peabody
Nebraska Wesleyan University
5000 St. Paul Ave.
Lincoln, Nebraska 68504
Internet: dbp@nebrwesleyan.edu