Personnel changes at Faithlife
Comments
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Tony Thomas said:
And they really need to improve and expand the functionality of Biblia (web) for their primary user base.
They are doing so. Biblia.com remains a place to access books and read the Bible for free. However app.logos.com will be where additional functionality is to be found. They already have some interactives, various guides from the desktop, the atlas, etc. there. To access the beta version, you must have a Logos Now or Logos Cloud subscription.
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Joseph said:Tony Thomas said:
And they really need to improve and expand the functionality of Biblia (web) for their primary user base.
They are doing so. Biblia.com remains a place to access books and read the Bible for free. However app.logos.com will be where additional functionality is to be found. They already have some interactives, various guides from the desktop, the atlas, etc. there. To access the beta version, you must have a Logos Now or Logos Cloud subscription.
At the risk of jumping into another rabbit hole and moving this thread off topic again.... There is a small hope that the web app may be released to a no subscribing public. Part of the NOW model is to develop things, some items like new features that are very data intensive will likely always remain inside the NOW model... Other things like RSV OT interlinear I would expect to find it's way into Verbum 7.0 Libraries/Logos 7.0 Libraries. The WEB APP is something I am not sure if it has been decided yet if it will always be subscription only or once finished will be made available to all users. There is no doubt it is sever intensive being done completely on FL servers, but then most all the heavy lifting of the mobile APPS are using the same servers to get their results. This is the one thing that gives me hope that this one day may replace Biblica and be the natural web access for all FL customers. But as said above as far as I have heard no decision has yet to be made on it, but until it is fully fleshed out and functioning it will remain within the NOW model I am sure.
-Dan
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Yeah, but functionality like this should be available to customers who have already invested, in many cases, thousands of dollars in Logos products and services!!Dan Francis said:Joseph said:Tony Thomas said:And they really need to improve and expand the functionality of Biblia (web) for their primary user base.
They are doing so. Biblia.com remains a place to access books and read the Bible for free. However app.logos.com will be where additional functionality is to be found. They already have some interactives, various guides from the desktop, the atlas, etc. there. To access the beta version, you must have a Logos Now or Logos Cloud subscription.
At the risk of jumping into another rabbit hole and moving this thread off topic again.... There is a small hope that the web app may be released to a no subscribing public. Part of the NOW model is to develop things, some items like new features that are very data intensive will likely always remain inside the NOW model... Other things like RSV OT interlinear I would expect to find it's way into Verbum 7.0 Libraries/Logos 7.0 Libraries. The WEB APP is something I am not sure if it has been decided yet if it will always be subscription only or once finished will be made available to all users. There is no doubt it is sever intensive being done completely on FL servers, but then most all the heavy lifting of the mobile APPS are using the same servers to get their results. This is the one thing that gives me hope that this one day may replace Biblica and be the natural web access for all FL customers. But as said above as far as I have heard no decision has yet to be made on it, but until it is fully fleshed out and functioning it will remain within the NOW model I am sure.
-Dan
Director of Zoeproject
www.zoeproject.com
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/quote] Yeah, but functionality like this should be available to customers who have already invested, in many cases, thousands of dollars in Logos products and services! ! /quote]
Some changes cost. All changes are different. The sooner they are identified, the greater the peace.
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Only a customer since Logos 4. Anyway I am a civilian user (not clergy, teacher, preacher, etc) and have the software for my own enjoyment. I have not spent thousands but it might be a little over a thousand over time. Regardless, I trust Bob and company not to leave me high and dry. I do wish them the best of luck and reading all of this makes we want to go find something I want to buy even if it is not in the thousands of dollars category.
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Thank you Bob, for your honesty, integrity and transparency. Thank you for providing such a quality product that I use every day and which has helped me share the Bible with thousands of people for over two decades. My ministry and teaching and capacity to study has been enhanced beyond measure by your product. It gives me the ability to work and prepare in different places with far greater resources than ever before which are always with me on a desktop which looks the same wherever I go. This is to say nothing of the search ability and the tools you have placed at my disposal from atlases to original language work. I can't fully describe what a blessing this company and this product has been to me, and through me to the members of my churches. I am thrilled to see that you'll be here for many years to come.
With many of you I lift up prayers for those without jobs.
Windows PC - Android Phone - Surface Pro 4
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Bob Pritchett said:
You're going to be fine, and we're going to be here to support you.
To Bob, The Laid-off workers, and Logos users,
Worry is a deceptive luxury we must not covet. One unknown source gives a breakdown of what the average person worries about:- 40% focus on things that will never happen.
- 30% deal with the past that can’t be changed.
- 12% concern criticism by others, mostly untrue.
- 10% relate to health, which worsens with anxiety.
- 8% are about legitimate concerns that require action.
- Statistics aside, the observation confirms that worry is an exercise in futility. There are two things we should never worry about:
- (i) Things we cannot change
- (ii) Things we can change.
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Always a great reminder for times like these:
Psalm 107:28-30 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven
Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/10-awesome-bible-verses-about-the-power-of-prayer/#ixzz3xEm6GvH5Psalm 107:28-30 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven
Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/10-awesome-bible-verses-about-the-power-of-prayer/#ixzz3xEm6GvH50 -
Charles McNeil said:
One unknown source gives a breakdown of what the average person worries about:
This sounds like Dale Carnegie from How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.
Logos 7 Collectors Edition
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Due to the server issues that happened tonight, I wonder if anyone in the "server management department" was on the list. :-)
Nathan Parker
Visit my blog at http://focusingonthemarkministries.com
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Nathan Parker said:
Due to the server issues that happened tonight, I wonder if anyone in the "server management department" was on the list. :-)
It might have something to do with this: http://www.zdnet.com/article/serious-security-flaw-found-in-openssh-puts-private-keys-at-risk/
Director of Zoeproject
www.zoeproject.com
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Super.Tramp said:
This sounds like Dale Carnegie from How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.
Thanks, Super.Tramp.
If you are sure of the source, I will pass it on to the compiler who sent it to me. Regardless, the principle message remains.
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Charles McNeil said:
If you are sure of the source, I will pass it on to the compiler who sent it to me. Regardless, the principle message remains.
I can not check my paper copy to be sure because I can no longer read the printed page due to visual impairment. I agree the principle is true.
Logos 7 Collectors Edition
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Tony Thomas said:Nathan Parker said:
Due to the server issues that happened tonight, I wonder if anyone in the "server management department" was on the list. :-)
It might have something to do with this: http://www.zdnet.com/article/serious-security-flaw-found-in-openssh-puts-private-keys-at-risk/
Faithlife don't use OpenSSL - they're on a Windows stack.
This is my personal Faithlife account. On 1 March 2022, I started working for Faithlife, and have a new 'official' user account. Posts on this account shouldn't be taken as official Faithlife views!
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Mark Barnes said:
Faithlife don't use OpenSSL - they're on a Windows stack.
Does this have anything to do with "personnel changes at Faithlife?"
However, is there any truth to the content of this website? https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Faithlife-RVW9169552.htm
I tried to respond to the individual directly, but unable to do so. If this site is so, or partially true, we have been misled. I am not worried, but I am concern about those laid off (frequency and treatment of workers). I am the let Bob, be Bob person. However, this in no way I endorse him or anyone to exercise unchristian behaviors or create a hostile work environment.
Who is James G. Fowler? He claims to present "another perspective of the recent lay-offs" I don't want to be the source of fear mongering, but have we been sold a "bill of goods" on the laidoffs?
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Bob
You seem to be keeping an eye on this Forum Post. I live in the UK, so I rarely contacted the sales office and on the occasions I did, they weren't able to offer me deals that I could get online, so I'm more than happy to continue to do all of my dealing online. However, as my library has grown, I find that my purchases are increasingly driven by offers, such as the Monthly Sale, Daily Deals and ad hoc publisher promotions like the recent NIVAC sale. I'm sure I can't be alone in this respect.
Therefore, given you seem to encouraging online sales, it seems a shame that the Daily Deals seem to have fallen by the wayside or at least become erratic. Can I please encourage you to resume 'normal service' with the Daily Twitter and Facebook Deals?
PS My wife will be grateful if you don't!!
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Charles McNeil said:
However, is there any truth to the content of this website? https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Faithlife-RVW9169552.htm
I tried to respond to the individual directly, but unable to do so. If this site is so, or partially true, we have been misled. I am not worried, but I am concern about those laid off (frequency and treatment of workers). I am the let Bob, be Bob person. However, this in no way I endorse him or anyone to exercise unchristian behaviors or create a hostile work environment.
Bob will probably respond on Glassdoor fairly soon. He normally does. He's probably waiting for the dust to settle a little.
A great company doesn't become a terrible company overnight. As I understand it, two major decisions have been made in recent months — the first to dramatically downsize the Verbum department, and the second to dramatically downsize the marketing/sales department.
With regard to the former, whilst the Catholic focus has been very much appreciated by many, it's taken a massive marketing push to get where it has, and it's still less popular that Logos Reformed and Logos Baptist, which don't have their own branding, blog, videos, training materials, etc. It looks like Faithlife may have taken the view that whilst they want their Catholic market to continue to grow, a massive marketing push is not the way to achieve that.
With regard to the latter, the majority of complaints about Faithlife over the years on the forums have been to do with marketing — over-promising and under-delivering, or simply poor communication. Plus, the 'salesman' model is surely dead in 2015, isn't it? So we shouldn't be surprised that there have been big job cuts in sales, and we shouldn't be surprised that people leaving the marketing department are generally negative (sometimes very negative). Most of us have been negative about the marketing department at some point.
You can take this one of two ways.
On the one hand, you can conclude the company is in crisis, and disaster is around the corner. On the other hand you can applaud the company for finally attempting to fix a long-standing problem. Probably the truth is somewhere in between, although I'm inclined to believe it's nearer the latter than the former.
I hope that Bob and others will be taking the opportunity to ask, "How did we get here?", and the lessons learned through that should serve the company well into the future. The need for better HR oversight and more honest marketing/sales seem to be two recurring themes. But there are other things too, no doubt.
This is my personal Faithlife account. On 1 March 2022, I started working for Faithlife, and have a new 'official' user account. Posts on this account shouldn't be taken as official Faithlife views!
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These are very serious allegations on Glassdoor. Hope Bob will respond and change their ways where change is necessary, and do it in a humane and biblical way.
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Charles McNeil said:
is there any truth to the content of this website?
Charles,
I have tried to avoid even posting a emoji on this thread, but I'll jump in here.
First, everyone who is a regular on the forums knows I'm not a Faithlife Fanboy. I have been critical of FL where I thought it was warranted (and perhaps overly so on a few occasions). I quit playing the trumpet 30 years ago, so I'm not about to jump on any bandwagons.
But as a manager of people, I'm going to have to come to FL's defense on this one (particularly Bob's, even though I'm sure he doesn't need my help). Without going into a treatise, let me simply say that if you manage anyone or anything and don't tick somebody off, you aren't doing your job. If you do your job well, you will really make someone mad, and if you do your job exceptionally well, you'll piss someone off royally (pardon my French) [6].
That's to say this: Take everything you see posted on a review site with a grain of salt, if not a teaspoon full. (Yes, that'll make you throw up, which is a fair response to much of what is posted on review sites.) We don't know the whole story. Remember the proverb about one man's story seeming right until the other side is heard? That proverb was written with managers in mind. Yes, there are bad managers and there are good managers that make bad decisions. But in 20-something years of managing, I can't recall ever seeing one of these types of accusations that didn't fall apart when more of the story was revealed. Remember, patience is a fruit of the Spirit. I have yet to find a translation where jumping to conclusions is listed as a fruit. (Truth be told: the way I've learned to be patient on these issues is by jumping to conclusions and then losing a chunk of my behind as a result. I may gain weight as I age, but I'll never have a big butt. Too much of it has been bitten off over the years. [:P] )
Hope this helps. I appreciate your concern for folks, or I wouldn't have bothered to write this.
Eating a steady diet of government cheese, and living in a van down by the river.
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Doc B and Mark Barnes, many thanks for the perspectives you bring.
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Charles McNeil said:
However, is there any truth to the content of this website? https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Employee-Review-Faithlife-RVW9169552.htm
I tried to respond to the individual directly, but unable to do so. If this site is so, or partially true, we have been misled. I am not worried, but I am concern about those laid off (frequency and treatment of workers). I am the let Bob, be Bob person. However, this in no way I endorse him or anyone to exercise unchristian behaviors or create a hostile work environment.
Who is James G. Fowler? He claims to present "another perspective of the recent lay-offs" I don't want to be the source of fear mongering, but have we been sold a "bill of goods" on the laidoffs?
There are 2 sides to every story... I feel it is important to hear the people at the glass door but we are only herring their experience and it very well might be only a partial truth (their truth fully as it is known but does't take FL side into account. Is FL a perfect place to work.. probably not, is Bob doing his best to make it better, I would hope so. I have heard rumours outside of the forums from former employees but do not repeat them here. I hope we have not been sold a "bill of goods", time will tell... I wish noting but the best for all the employees who have been let go from FL in the past few months.
-Dan
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Independent of glass-door representativeness, my concerns:
- A significant firing, to include families and children in mid-school year, should give pause to hiring good people in the future. That is worrysome for the amount of sophistication Logos tries to deliver.
- Mark (other Mark) is pushing Strack & Billerbeck. I appreciate his efforts. But I went ahead and bought the german version and will struggle. I've no confidence in future Logos projects that operate at the margins (if unloading so many employees is necessitated). And I'm still awaiting products paid for from 5 years ago (sold, not pre-pub'd).
- I agree with the issue of 'marketing'. Early on, I suspected that issue is at the top level at Logos, and not solvable. I remain impressed that Olivetree, ChristianDiscount and LitPress can exude a Christian-ish way of communicating, but Logos can't. I don't know why.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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Doc B said:
I have tried to avoid even posting a emoji on this thread, but I'll jump in here.
Glad you did, and I appreciated your insight. Thank you.
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Denise said:
Independent of glass-door representativeness, my concerns:
- A significant firing, to include families and children in mid-school year, should give pause to hiring good people in the future. That is worrysome for the amount of sophistication Logos tries to deliver.
- Mark (other Mark) is pushing Strack & Billerbeck. I appreciate his efforts. But I went ahead and bought the german version and will struggle. I've no confidence in future Logos projects that operate at the margins (if unloading so many employees is necessitated). And I'm still awaiting products paid for from 5 years ago (sold, not pre-pub'd).
- I agree with the issue of 'marketing'. Early on, I suspected that issue is at the top level at Logos, and not solvable. I remain impressed that Olivetree, ChristianDiscount and LitPress can exude a Christian-ish way of communicating, but Logos can't. I don't know why.
Contrast Logos with YouVersion for example. At YouVersion home page, it reads: "God is near, and so is His Word. As you wake up. While you wait. When you meet a friend. Before you go to sleep. When the Bible is always with you, it becomes a part of your daily life." At Logos, the message can be paraphrased as: buy more, get a bigger library, and you will do better Bible Study.
YouVersion is missional, while Logos is a commercial enterprise. YouVersion app will ask me: How is my walk with God? Logos homepage only asks me: "Have I bought any more resources lately?"
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alabama24 said:Paul Lee said:
Contrast Logos with YouVersion for example.
I like both Logos and YouVersion, but don't confuse a business with a church (YouVersion).
Advertising within Bible software is a two edged sword... I enjoy hearing about new products and sales, but it can feel out of place. But I recognize that FL needs to make money and that thankfully I can turn off these adds by customizing my homepage.
-Dan
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Randall Cue said:
How is YouVersion a church?
It's a ministry of LifeChurch.tv (Craig Groeschel)
And Logos is a corporate sponsor!
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Just scanning through all these posts, am I getting it correct that just sales people are laid off or does this include people who are working on the technical side of things.
I for one am a bit nervous, having seen Biblesoft go through a similar (or not so similar path) suddenly & with a lot of hints that it would go down the tubes.
I've mentioned this before so suffer the repetition, but things that should have been addressed a year or go or more are still in limbo. Thus my question regarding the techies - have they been reduced in number also? Unfortunately, I saw this trend with Biblesoft, e.g. things which were being promised / suddenly people leaving or laid off and now we know, the rest of the story!!!
Again, pardon my ignorance, but if things were ever to go pads up at Logos, or is it now just Faithlife, does this mean what I presently have purchased / the program itself, is not going to work at all or as well?
I'm not nervous at all ... just thinking of doing a few laps around Tim Hortons!?!
MSI Katana GF76 Intel Core i7-12700H, RTX3060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Windows 11 Home
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Bootjack said:
Just scanning through all these posts, am I getting it correct that just sales people are laid off
Sales people are the individuals most visible to user and therefore comprise the primary data for this thread. We know that at least some other areas took hits. My advice ... ignore most of the thread because most of it is speculation not knowledge. And since we don't have the facts to see what is going on, we can scarcely say we've seen it before although we may have seen something that bore distinct similarities from the perspective of a user without knowledge of the innards of the company.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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