Platform Frustration- Griping in general

[Ben Spackman]

I'm acquiring a Mac laptop in the summer, and as such will be running Bibleworks and Logos via Parallels (http://www.parallels.com/). I've been using BW since the early days of v.4, and Logos for about two years for library purposes. Since I'll be running on a Mac, I'll also be able, should I wish, to make use of Accordance.

Now, I've never used Accordance, but it appears to be more like Logos than BW, in the sense that it's more of an electronic library with search functions. Since Accordance has some things available that neither BW or Logos have (I'm thinking here primarily of the NWS Inscriptions (http://www.accordancebible.com/modules/details.php?ID=137) database and its companion index (http://www.accordancebible.com/modules/details.php?ID=463)), I may well end up running all three. I appreciate that Logos and BW can interlink with each other to some extent, but Accordance, being a Mac program, can't.

It's frustrating that we should have to choose or switch between programs, to some extent, based on the database offerings, but I suppose from another perspective, it helps marketing to say "We have database x and no one else does!"

[Nathan Jewett]

Now, I've never used Accordance, but it appears to be more like Logos than BW, in the sense that it's more of an electronic library with search functions.

Now, I am one of Accordance converts that now uses BibleWorks as my primary bible software. However, I must admit that Accordance has some amazing search features, but has the smallest library of the three. You could say Accordance combines some of the graphical conveniences of Logos with much of the depth and power of Bibleworks. However, the ultimate shortcoming of Accordance (for me at least) was the tremendous cost required to aquire an adequate digital library. BibleWorks truly is the most cost-effective and functional bible software on the market! :)

[Michael Hanel]

It's frustrating that we should have to choose or switch between programs, to some extent, based on the database offerings, but I suppose from another perspective, it helps marketing to say "We have database x and no one else does!"



It's part of the reason why real books still have some value :) But yeah, once a company spends $X on digitizing some format, they usually hold on to that as marketing leverage device. It's kind of how capitalism works. Although I don't really see BibleWorks playing the same type of "games." They were the first ones to develop Josephus, and I believe Accordance essentially just tweaked BibleWorks' edition. Now I don't know how much negotiating was involved for such a move, but the less is more strategy is quite helpful to me as someone without much money in the end. It doesn't seem like other companies are as friendly in reverse, but that might just be my own personal observation. It seems that each time a software company is putting something out, they have to re-invent the wheel, which means, pass down the costs to their users.

It'll take a number of years for this to figure itself (if it ever does), but it's similar to the noise Steve Jobs is making about MP3s I think in the sense that once someone "owns" a song, that person is still limited by what programs will use it or not use it.

I've purchased books, but the books are inextricably tied to the software packages. For some they say this is no big deal, but as you say, moving from Mac to Windows or vice versa is just another complication. But it is difficult even to upgrade from one Windows computer to the next, without losing settings, etc. in programs.

So I think you are pointing out problems in the whole e-book world. I'm not sure the market is quite ready to give answers to those questions yet unfortunately.