What would you like to see in BibleWorks 10?

[jmorgan]

If, my memory services me correctly it was on June 28th, 2011 that I ordered my copy of BibleWorks9. Meaning, that current version of BibleWorks is about a year a half old. That's not too old I guess? So by now most of BibleWorks' user base has had time to update to version 9 and play around with it. So, after using and getting to know BibleWorks9 I pose the following:

1. What would you like to see in version 10 of BibleWorks?
2. Is, there anything that you would like BibleWorks to retain?
3. Is, there anything that you would like BibleWorks to get rid of?
4. Is, there anything that you would like BibleWorks to add or change?

I've been using BibleWorks 9 for a little more than a year now, so here are my suggestions thus far.

1. Create an option to hide the search window. When I am studying a single passage in depth and am not using the search window very much it would be nice to make full use of my screen real-estate.

2. Single click to update Analysis Window. Holding shift is a little awkward just to move over to scroll through a lexicon entry, apparatus, or manuscript as well as when only updating when shift is pressed, as I still have to move the cursor to get it to update. If there was extended options on this functionality so that one could set it to their preferred method of use beyond using the shift key that would be nice. The most comfortable setting would be to have a single click for Analysis window updates, and a double click for searching.

3. Keep the manuscripts coming. This is definitely my favorite feature of BibleWorks 9, and I would love to see more of it. Papyrus Fragments, and Dead Sea Scrolls would be welcomed additions.

4. More OT study tools. The BHS critical apparatus for one would be quite welcome.

5. Unicode integration. Most Bible scholars are used to typing in Greek and Hebrew using whatever keyboard layout they prefer. It would be nice to be able to search etc. by using your own keyboard layout commands.

6. Custom tabs. Several of the tabs I never use such as Words, Context, or Stats. It would be nice to be able to declutter.

7. More Browse/Analysis windows available on the main screen. This would be similar to the Parallel versions pop-up, but on the main screen and allowing for other features to be integrated as well. Possible set ups could be; two browse windows with different manuscripts in type and manuscript images underneath, multiple translations side by side with the CNTTS apparatus etc. You get the idea.

You could set up BibleWorks such that you start with one window and can add or remove windows. You could have the option of whether the new window is a search, browse, analysis, manuscript window etc. You could designate which windows are linked together through some sort of option setting on each. Along this line it would also be nice to be able to have the pop-up items such as grammars, or maps in-line so that you can see everything at once.

8. Flash Card memory. It would be nice to be able to save your place in the flash card module for what you have already learned.


Overall I have thoroughly appreciated BibleWorks. Out of the different Bible Softwares that I own, I use BibleWorks more by far. Keep up the good work.

[jmorgan]

One thing I forgot....

Highlighting for Tense/Mood/Case etc.

A good example of this is seen on http://biblewebapp.com/reader/ though it is only available in Greek. There is also this capability in Logos, though it is a little awkward to use. This feature is incredibly helpful for getting a big picture overview of a passage from a verbal aspect functionality standpoint.

[jmorgan]

Ok, one more....

I should be able to set my search version to something different than is in my Browse window. I have no desire to ever try to read through a morphologically tagged edition in my Browse window, though I do want to be able to search by morphology. It gets kind of tedious to constantly have to switch my browse window back to a readable text.

[Mark Eddy]

Ok, one more....

I should be able to set my search version to something different than is in my Browse window. I have no desire to ever try to read through a morphologically tagged edition in my Browse window, though I do want to be able to search by morphology. It gets kind of tedious to constantly have to switch my browse window back to a readable text.

You can already do this. In the "Options" window, under "Brows Window Configuration Options," check "Maintain search version after lemma search." So, if you set your search version to BGT or BNT or WTT (or any other text version with a corresponding morphology version), when you do a lemma search, the BGM or BNM or WTM (etc.) will not display in your browse window (unless you go back to the list of searches, and click on one of them. In that case the morphology version will display). This way you do not have to close down the morphology version each time you search. I have my version of BW set up this way constantly.
Mark Eddy

[Mark Eddy]

2. Single click to update Analysis Window. Holding shift is a little awkward just to move over to scroll through a lexicon entry, apparatus, or manuscript as well as when only updating when shift is pressed, as I still have to move the cursor to get it to update. If there was extended options on this functionality so that one could set it to their preferred method of use beyond using the shift key that would be nice. The most comfortable setting would be to have a single click for Analysis window updates, and a double click for searching.

I think you can already sort of do what you want. After you put your cursor over a word, right click with the mouse, and move your cursor to the Analysis window to scroll through it. (Ignore the window which displays by right clicking. It will disappear once you start scrolling through the Analysis window.)

7. More Browse/Analysis windows available on the main screen. This would be similar to the Parallel versions pop-up, but on the main screen and allowing for other features to be integrated as well. Possible set ups could be; two browse windows with different manuscripts in type and manuscript images underneath, multiple translations side by side with the CNTTS apparatus etc. You get the idea.

You can sort of do this by cloning BW and using different versions in the browse windows of the clone.

8. Flash Card memory. It would be nice to be able to save your place in the flash card module for what you have already learned.

You can already mark words in the flash cards as learned, and they will be grayed out the next time you go through the flash cards. I haven't done this in a while, but when I learned words, I seldom learned them equally well. The words I knew, I eliminated from the list by marking them as learned. So I go through the unlearned words first the next time I used the flash cards. Once I had gone through them, I got to new words.
Mark Eddy

[Donald Cobb]

2. Single click to update Analysis Window. Holding shift is a little awkward just to move over to scroll through a lexicon entry, apparatus, or manuscript as well as when only updating when shift is pressed, as I still have to move the cursor to get it to update. If there was extended options on this functionality so that one could set it to their preferred method of use beyond using the shift key that would be nice. The most comfortable setting would be to have a single click for Analysis window updates, and a double click for searching.

If you use the resources panel, you can also just click on the word as it shows up there. This opens up the Lexicon entry in a floating window.

I use the resources panel almost continuously now, I find it to be a great time saver, and if the specific Scripture reference is indicated in the lexicon--as is the case for BDAG, which lists practically all occurrences of any given word in the NT, including any varia lectio--it opens the entry to the precise spot that mentions the passage. This is very helpful, especially when the entry is long. Obviously, all that goes for HALOT as well in the OT, although the referenced passages seem to be a little less complete.

Donald Cobb
Aix-en-Provence, France

[Donald Cobb]

I've been using BibleWorks 9 for a little more than a year now, so here are my suggestions thus far.

1. Create an option to hide the search window. When I am studying a single passage in depth and am not using the search window very much it would be nice to make full use of my screen real-estate.

[…]

3. Keep the manuscripts coming. This is definitely my favorite feature of BibleWorks 9, and I would love to see more of it. Papyrus Fragments, and Dead Sea Scrolls would be welcomed additions.

4. More OT study tools. The BHS critical apparatus for one would be quite welcome.

5. Unicode integration. Most Bible scholars are used to typing in Greek and Hebrew using whatever keyboard layout they prefer. It would be nice to be able to search etc. by using your own keyboard layout commands.

6. Custom tabs. Several of the tabs I never use such as Words, Context, or Stats. It would be nice to be able to declutter.

7. More Browse/Analysis windows available on the main screen. This would be similar to the Parallel versions pop-up, but on the main screen and allowing for other features to be integrated as well. Possible set ups could be; two browse windows with different manuscripts in type and manuscript images underneath, multiple translations side by side with the CNTTS apparatus etc. You get the idea.

You could set up BibleWorks such that you start with one window and can add or remove windows. You could have the option of whether the new window is a search, browse, analysis, manuscript window etc. You could designate which windows are linked together through some sort of option setting on each. Along this line it would also be nice to be able to have the pop-up items such as grammars, or maps in-line so that you can see everything at once.

Concerning 1., I second that. I've often found that, when you are not using the search window, it does take up space that could be better used for other things. Sometimes, I open a floating analysis window that I configure to cover up the space taken by the search window. Your points 3., 4., 5. and 6. have already been suggested on this post, so they confirm an expressed need (or at least desire).

If I understand your 7., that would be more like a Logos or Accordance setup? I think that has also been suggested. It would be a fairly radically different approach to what BW has always looked like, but I can certainly see the advantages. In my mind, that would have to be coupled with the possibility of saving different specific setups, something I've already suggested!

Donald Cobb
Aix-en-Provence, France

[bink]

[QUOTE=Mark Eddy;29382]I have started morphological databases for a number of the classical or koine Greek databases which Michael Hanel has made available: Aristophanes, Epictetus, Herodotus, Plato, and Xenophon.

Mike, I've been lazy and haven't added these (or transferred) to a new laptop I use since April. Any easy way to do all or same way as 2-3 years ago? Also, any difference that I'm using Windows 7 Professional?

jwb

[bink]

I've awakened from skipping a generation (BW9, and several years of hard BW IT work you guys are doing) All these suggestions for a BW10 are great, bring them on, it's time the gub-ment is paid again for the work I don't do! jwb

[Lee]

You can already do this. In the "Options" window, under "Brows Window Configuration Options," check "Maintain search version after lemma search." So, if you set your search version to BGT or BNT or WTT (or any other text version with a corresponding morphology version), when you do a lemma search, the BGM or BNM or WTM (etc.) will not display in your browse window (unless you go back to the list of searches, and click on one of them. In that case the morphology version will display). This way you do not have to close down the morphology version each time you search. I have my version of BW set up this way constantly.
Mark Eddy

Thanks for the info; I wasn't aware of that.

However, what jmorgan says would still apply when doing Command Line searches with a morphology version. Even though I do those often, I pretty much never care to see the morphology text displayed in the Browse Window. So let me choose WTM (for example) as my search version, but still see WTT as the Browse Window text.