Missionary Book of Mormon app

This may be a bigger milestone then is being realized. Imagine members being able to point friends to a link (app store) to get a free e-copy of the Book of mormon. I hope that pass-along cards are in the works that list the link and perhaps even a QR code. I would also propose that newspaper articles or ads could be written to invite all to take advantage.

I can see some appeal with this. This could be accomplished by taking the "Manage Library" functionality out of Gospel library and having the app download the Book of Mormon automatically when it is run the first time. Then re-brand this app as the "Book of Mormon." This would leverage the power of the Gospel Library development but simplify the app for those just wanting to pick up the digital equivalent to the blue soft cover Book of Mormon.

Are you aware that a Book of Mormon mobile application (for Android, Apple, Windows Phone, and Java phones) already exists? See http://www.lds.org/pages/mobileapps

That's the one Alan, and that's also the one I'm hoping to eventually have pass-along cards also to give out for these apps. Best way in my opinion to handle having a QR code would be to have it go to a landing page, then on that page have a link to each of the individual app stores, the user just clicks on his app store for his device, and it will then go to the page for that app and they can download it from there, or even have the link be a direct download if that is possible.

This will be big once we get all the steps to getting it from a single location via QR code all lined up, all the ducks in a row so to speak.

I was disappointed to see that Apple has allowed someone else to put a Book of Mormon app in the app store and it's not done by the Church and it's not free. I have not taken a close look, because I won't buy it, so it could be the real text but I can tell that they changed some graphics. It looks like it has the same functionality. Not sure why someone would buy this guys app when they can get the church's for free. Also wouldn't there be some copy write issues?

wrigjef wrote:Also wouldn't there be some copy write issues?

I think it depends on what version of the BoM you're talking about. I think there is at least one in the public domain, but it doesn't have all the cross-reference footnotes that "ours" has.

I can't fault Apple unless there's a legal issue and it's brought to their attention.

The actual text of the Book of Mormon went out of copyright years ago, only the footnotes and headings for chapters are copyrighted. That part is what someone would want to check any other apps for.

It has always been the same way with the print version. The Community of Christ has a print Book of Mormon that is itself formatted differently. Someone else put out the whole text in a red-violet cover in the 70s and it was commonly found in the mall bookstores of the day. Other than the materials in the current edition and probably the one prior to that, that were added to it such as the headings and footnotes, there's not much that can be done regarding apps like this.

JamesAnderson wrote:That's the one Alan, and that's also the one I'm hoping to eventually have pass-along cards also to give out for these apps. Best way in my opinion to handle having a QR code would be to have it go to a landing page, then on that page have a link to each of the individual app stores, the user just clicks on his app store for his device, and it will then go to the page for that app and they can download it from there, or even have the link be a direct download if that is possible.

This will be big once we get all the steps to getting it from a single location via QR code all lined up, all the ducks in a row so to speak.

I actually think that this is big enough that it should justify it's own link on the front page of LDS.org. Something like "Share the Book of Mormon" then a link that will direct people to an isolated landing page much like The next step would be to let members know about this resource in a big way such as an article or at least mention in General Conference or the Ensign.

I'm curious as to why the app requires iOS 5 or later. What about people who are using iPhone 1, 2, or 3G? I was using an iPhone 3G until just recently, when I got a free upgrade to an iPhone 4 through AT&T after the iPhone 5 came out.

The app runs fine on my iPhone 4, but it wouldn't run on my older iPhone 3G. It'd be great to make the app more backwards-compatible so more people can read the book! Not everyone is able to, knows how to, or wants to upgrade, and I can't imagine there're too many lines of code that would have to change to make it work, are there?