Collapsible, Organized Notes - Radical Vision...

Walter A. Svarczkopf

First, let me say, "thank you."  The recent addition to the Notes in the 4.0c release that allows the option of either "Compact" of "Full" helps some.  However, unless there are a lot of individual notes in a note file, such that a slider bar is needed on the right side to scroll up/down, there is still not a way to easily get to and open a particular note of a notes file.  I still have to hit "Full" to see the note content, and unless I can get the note I want as the top line in "Compact" mode, I don't open to the note I want.  Unless there is already some way to do this, I would ask for one of two things, please, either:

1. Allow a way to show the content of only a single note, while the others remain collapsed... or...
2. Change the "Full" button to put the cursor focus on the the note where the cursor was when the "Full" button is clicked.

Now, both of these are just a stop gap in trying to get back to the functionality of Notes from LDLS3.  I've made posts about this.  Seen other supporting those requests, but haven't seen anything coming back by way of, "Hey... We understand... We're working on it."

So, let me make an even more radical request.  The purpose of most of our Bible Study is to REACH (the world for Christ) and TEACH (disciple fellow believers).  This is why we buy books and resources.  Since that is the case, I would love to see the Notes feature of Logos Bible Software be expanded to be able to draw from study and work that others have done.  I would be more than happy to share my Sunday School and Sermons for those who would want to take advantage of them.  I recently read the article on how the books are prepared for electronic delivery and use.  It was very interesting.  Wouldn't it be great if Notes files could be organized like Books?  They could have the following:

1. A Table of Contents (something I have seen dozens of requests for at least)
2. Sections (This could be done with simple headers in the Notes file that the TOC recognizes.
3. A Bibliography for links to resources that others may/may not have.  This might even encourage others to buy recommended resources from Logos, generating additional revenue.

And since, all our stuff is backed up to Logos servers anyway now, Logos could come up with a way to make Notes files for Sunday Schools, Bible Studies, Sermons, etc. available for others to grab and use.  They could take on the distribution of the files.  And, if the development of such a functionality needs capital investment, LRS could do one of the following:

1. Charge a nominal fee for files (much less than books, of course).  Logos and the Notes file author would split the proceeds.
2. There would not have to ever be payouts from Logos to authors, that is not the purpose of this.  But, instead, users could create accounts with Logos, similar to iTunes, where one puts money in the account for the purchase of Notes files. 
3. When a file is "purchased", the buyers account would be deducted from. 
4. When the file is "sold", the author's account would be credited for some percentage of the "selling price" and Logos Research Systems would take the rest.  Let's say 50/50.  

I know for me personally, I have created a number of in-depth, Notes files for teaching of Sunday School Classes, Bible Studies and Sermons, topics ranging from Prayer, Abortion, the Suffering and Death of Christ, the Incarnation, Creation and Evolution, Parenting, Free Will & Election, Book Studies on Hebrews, Romans, and more.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if other believers could take advantage of these studies, grab, adapt, and use them for teaching others?  Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could take advantage of theirs?  After awhile, we'd each end up with lists of our favorite "authors".  We could follow their submissions.  By doing something like this, we could share the work of the study of the scriptures, so we could better share in the work of our Lord. 

Too radical?

MJ. Smith

Walter A. Svarczkopf said:

Too radical?

Nope.

My first reaction was to think PBBs. Then I thought about work flow and presentation flow and thought this could be an excellent idea. Given the hints we have been given about shared work spaces, I don't think this extends Logos' thinking all that much. If it doesn't show up, it needs to be on user voice to see what support it has.

Walter A. Svarczkopf

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/130059#Comment_130059

M.J.

You mentioned two things I didn't recognize... 1) PBB's and 2) User Voice.  Can you elaborate briefly, please?

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/130081#Comment_130081

Walter A. Svarczkopf said:

You mentioned two things I didn't recognize... 1) PBB's and 2) User Voice.  Can you elaborate briefly, please?

PBB's were the user created books in Logos 3. We have been told that Logos 4 will have a similar capability but the new user created book will be fully integrated Logos resources.

User voice is an experiment for Logos. See http://logos.uservoice.com/forums/42823-logos-bible-software-4 This is a means of allowing users some input into the priorities and functions in the ongoing development of the product. My personal opinion is that it will become more useful once the promised features of L4 are completed.