Re: Shepherding Textbook in Digital Format

by suavojr 39 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  suavojr

  After years of leaked info, the GB has finally decided to publish their own Shepherding textbook in EPUB format.

  Dear Brothers:

  We are pleased to inform you that the Shepherding textbook is now available in EPUB,

  MOBI, and PDF format. In due course, it will also be made available in selected sign languages

  and in screen reader and notetaker format for use by blind or visually impaired brothers. You

  may access it in the “Forms” section of jw.org. The digital textbook contains the marginal notes

  and adjustments that elders have been directed to make in their bound copies of the textbook. If

  an elder is deleted for reasons other than moving to another congregation with a favorable recommendation,

  he should delete any electronic copies of the textbook in his possession.

  In view of the foregoing, each elder should insert the following near the box on the title

  page of his bound copy of the Shepherding textbook: “See letter dated March 16, 2015, to all

  bodies of elders regarding digital formats of this textbook.”

  We are confident that this will prove useful to you in shepherding “the flock of God under

  your care.” (1 Pet. 5:2) Please accept an expression of our warm Christian love.
• 

  sir82

  That's crazy. Now there will hundreds if not thousands of copies of that book available for easy download, from a bazillion and one different websites.
  

  If an elder is deleted for reasons other than moving to another congregation with a favorable recommendation, he should delete any electronic copies of the textbook in his possession.

  <Snort> Yeah, right.

  I guess they are doing it to make sure all elders have the "marginal updates" correct.
  
• 

  breakfast of champions

  Wow. At this point they must be figuring, What the hell. . . . It's already googleable/downloadable to the Forces of Evil that so desire. . . . .

  Probably worth it to them to avoid printing costs.
• 

  _Morpheus

  Wow im a bit supprised! I didnt think they would do this
• 

  cappytan

  Ooooo. Interesting. Wondering if there will be encrypted digital tracking metadata for each downloaded copy.

  That could allow them to determine who leaks a copy.
• 

  breakfast of champions

  Anyone ambitious enough could always print out a paper copy, scan it into a PDF and redistribute it.
• 

  cappytan

  Anyone ambitious enough could always print out a paper copy, scan it into a PDF and redistribute it.

  Correct. However if an undercover apostate elder who isn't too tech savvy decides to share it, they will likely just share whatever they download. They probably wouldn't think about something like unique metadata.
• 

  Oubliette

  If an elder is deleted for reasons other than moving to another congregation with a favorable recommendation, he should delete any electronic copies of the textbook in his possession.

  Like that's gonna happen!
• 

  sir82

  Wondering if there will be encrypted digital tracking metadata for each downloaded copy.

  For the non-tech-savvy among us, is there a way to analyze such a downloaded file to determine if that is the case?
  
• 

  cappytan

  For the non-tech-savvy among us, is there a way to analyze such a downloaded file to determine if that is the case?

  I'm sure there are various ways, however all I know about is the concept stated above. I know nothing about detecting such watermarks or embedding them. The actual method is called "Digital Watermarking."

  I believe there are some third party tools that aid in detection and removal of digital watermarks, however I have no idea what tool to recommend or use as I have never had to either detect or remove one.