Wednesday, February 29, 2012

FW: Of Interest to Our Readers...

 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2015303564/pearlvault-scripture-notes

 

 

About this project

Save the Margin!

You can help us to create a powerful website that the advantages of a personal Bible margin to today's digital Bible students. And, in the process, you'll be giving them something more powerful and secure than the Bible margin ever was before!
People write in their paper Bibles because they want to hold on to an insight on a verse they were reading. They want that insight to stay with them the next time they are studying that verse. They want to build on what they've learned.
But if you use the notetaking features of a Bible website or a Bible software package, that note remains locked in that environment. It's very powerful in that environment, which is nice. Notes taken in these places often let you attach the thought to a verse or a word in a verse. Often within the note itself you can include other Bible references that, when clicked on, will take you to other, related portions of Scripture. That's good.
But if you ever choose to study in a different digital environment, those notes do you no good. Many websites and software packages allow some sort of export of your notes, but then they are no longer attached to verses. Those cross-referencing links also turn cold. Sometimes you even lose notes through product upgrades without even changing to a new digital environment!


PearlVault Will Save Those Pearls of Wisdom

This project will create a web portal where you can take your Bible study notes so that they are searchable, taggable and indexed according to Bible references. It will also allow you to attach notes to words from a particular Bible translation--or even words from the original Greek or Hebrew. It will be optimized for the easy discovery of past notes whenever you study that same passage/word/topic again. It will also be optimized for use on mobile devices so that, even when you are away from your desktop, you are never away from your Bible notes. And PearlVault, should this project succeed, will be available for the rest of your life, independent of whatever study environment you use otherwise.
But for the PearlVault team, this Kickstarter project is just a first step. We've already started developing relationships with Bible software companies so that, in the very near future, we can go beyond the web portal. Your support for this project will add weight to our voices as we work with Bible software companies, Bible website providers and Bible app developers to make sure that your PearlVault notes are available in their environments as well. If they know that a single place for all your notes is important to thousands of people, they will help us to make it happen. Then it won't matter where you study or what tools you use. PearlVault will be right there with your lifetime of accumulated Scripture knowledge and wisdom.


Help Us Save the Bible Margin!

Browse through the support options. A little or a lot: It all helps, and we appreciate your support. Check out the cool badges you can get for our support forums. And be sure to check out the long-term subscriptions. Future investors may have something to say about offering such things to new subscribers, but we decided to make these special subscriptions an integral part of the Kickstarter project.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What will the subscription cost of PearlVault be in the future?
A: Great question. The answer depends on the level of response to this project, but we would like to keep it under $40/year.
Q: Will there be a free version of PearlVault?
A: Yes, but it will be a read-only (but fully exportable) archive during the times when you are not a paid subscriber. While simple in concept, the synchronizations that we will have to maintain with multiple Bible study environments will be complicated. We don't want anyone to ever be cut off from their notes--and that's the real point of limiting free access. We want to make sure that the vault is sustainable into any future that we can reasonably foresee, and that means that all of us have to make a reasonable investment into the maintenance of the Vault.
Q: How long before we will be able to synchronize our PearlVault notes with popular Bible study environments?
A: Again, this depends on the response we get here. I haven't had a single provider of Bible study environments say, "That sounds stupid. Go away." Partly that's because they're not rude people by nature. But it's also partly a matter of not knowing how important this is to the Bible students that are out there. When you get even a one-year subscription and spread the word to your friends, it tells them how important this is and makes the synchronizations happen that much more quickly.
Q: How do I keep up on developments?
A: So glad you asked! You can sign up for updates at www.pearlvault.com, or you can "Like" us at www.facebook.com/PearlVault, or you can follow us on Twitter @PearlVault. You can also just send an email to info@pearlvault.com and ask to be signed up for updates. Best of all, though, you can be part of the development by signing up for a subscription here at Kickstarter and by sharing the link to his page. I'm just a poor pastor with no money for advertising, so I need lots of word-of-mouth. Help!


SAVE THE MARGIN!

Ask a questionHave a question?If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.

10
Backers
$2,210
pledged of $305,000 goal
32
days to go

Pledge $5 or more

1 Backer

You receive the rewarding joy of knowing that you helped provide digital Bible margins to millions of people for generations to come. Plus you've given us a lot of joy just because you joined us in this venture!

Estimated Delivery:Apr 2013

Pledge $20 or more

0 Backers

Not only do you get that same great feeling of having helped generations of people collect and access countless pearls of wisdom, but you get a nifty t-shirt as well! Plus, we'll throw in a "PearlVault: Save the Margin" decal for your computer or mobile device. And if all that weren't enough, you'll be listed as an original backer of the PearlVault project on our web portal. Sweet!

Estimated Delivery:Jun 2012

Pledge $35 or more

4 Backers

I know. You don't just want the swag. You want to get your own PearlVault and start collecting those beautiful little bits of information and wisdom in a single, permanent, lifelong place. Reward #3 gives you just that: All the swag above plus you're already covered for your first year's subscription once the service launches in the first part of next year. Plus we're going to attach a founders badge to the graphic that will represent you when you leave messages in our community forums. Now that's snazzy!

Estimated Delivery:Feb 2013

Pledge $45 or more

2 Backers

You're getting the swag. You're getting your first year's subscription. And that founders badge is yours, too. Awesome.But you want to be involved in the development process too, right? Gotcha. This level gives you everything above plus beta access prior to launch. Welcome to the team!

Estimated Delivery:Aug 2012

Pledge $60 or more

0 Backers

Want to add the value of a second year to your subscription while still getting everything listed above? Level 5 is for you!

Estimated Delivery:Feb 2013

Pledge $125 or more

1 Backer

Ah. You've already recognized the pattern. You're thinking, "Well, if I get more value out of getting a two-year subscription, couldn't I get even more value out of a five-year subscription?" Indeed you could. And you've been just that much more beneficial to the project, too.For your generosity and vision we shall reward you with the swag, the beta access, plus the five-year subscription you seek. And you know that badge people are getting for their visits to the community forums? Well, yours is going to be bronze. Well done.

Estimated Delivery:Feb 2013

Pledge $200 or more

0 Backers

Ten years, you say? I like the cut of you jib--at least I think I do. I've never really understood that saying.At level 7 you've got all that stuff above plus an incredible value on many years of permanently and safely storing your collected pearls of wisdom. And you've got a silver founders badge for the forums, too. Oh, and, just between you and me, there's going to be an Easter egg in the web portal to honor you supporters at level 7 and above. Yeah. That's right. We went there.By the way, I just Googled "cut of your jib." Now I get it.

Estimated Delivery:Feb 2013

Pledge $350 or more

1 Backer

Could twenty years have been far behind? No. Not really.And, you know what? You guys are getting the gold founders badges. Twenty years. You guys are awesome!

Estimated Delivery:Feb 2013

Pledge $500 or more

0 Backers

I'll be honest. I don't know if this is the kind of thing we can really offer in the future, but supporters like you guys deserve the very best, so here it is:Lifetime Subscription.And tell me you guys don't deserve a platinum founders badge! You can't!

Estimated Delivery:Feb 2013

Pledge $1,500 or more

1 Backer• Limited Reward(19 of 20 remaining)

I feel positively compelled to thank you in a very special way--not only with a lifetime subscription and everything else the other levels have going for them, but also with a personal visit and dinner. We'll talk Bible study. We'll play with the web portal together. My daughter tells me that if she gets to come along she'll even give you a hug. No promises since she's in school and all, but she'll totally do it if she gets the chance. I know she will.

Estimated Delivery:Feb 2013

Pledge $5,000 or more

0 Backers• Limited Reward(10 of 10 remaining)

I'm not just coming to thank you over dinner. You're getting eight extra lifetime subscriptions to give to family, friends, pastors at your church, whomever! The choice is yours. And you just say the word and I'll bring along a presentation on PearlVault that I can present at your church or school. I'll even tutor your local clergy, if you want. I'm just so happy we connected!And you should know that there will only be ten diamond badges available the whole world over. And when you strut your stuff around the community forums, you'll be sporting one. I can't wait to see one myself!

Estimated Delivery:Feb 2013

Project By

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Aaron Frey

Last Login02/21/12

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Trained as a conservative, Lutheran pastor, I've led three large congregations, two Christian elementary schools and one college preparatory school. All the while I have pursued with a passion ways for everyday readers of the Bible to augment their study with today's technologies, having run classes in the use of Bible software and Bible websites across the country. Hear more about my work at the WELSTech podcast (http://welstech.wels.net/...).


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