Why is Logos so ridiculously complicated?
I'm coming over to Logos after having used Wordsearch for 20 years. I find NOTHING intuitive about Logos. And when I look for tutorial videos I find a collection that adds up to well over 90 minutes of watching just to learn how to use the software. I've started to watch so of them and they take so long to get to the point it frustrating.
Is there one 5-minute or less video (not a 10 minute video - they take forever to get to the point) that will show me how to set up the program so that when I open it my preferred screens (bibles, commentaries, word studies) are already open and ready to go. How can I get my commentaries to list as just the commentary set and not each individual book in my entire library? If I have my bible open to Mark 8.31 I just want to click on the entire set of i.e. Life Application Commentary and have it open to Mark 8.31. I don't want to have to scroll through half my library just to find it. And here's a thought, how can I get my commentaries to list in alphabetical order? Or better yet, why don't they just automatically list in alphabetical order in the first place?
This software is maddening!!!!!!!!!
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Hi Alan, thankfully everything you want to do is easy.
First, click the Logos icon at the top left of the screen to open up the go box and type in the passage you want to study (such as Mark 8:31).Then click "Open Passage Study Layout" in the dropdown.
Logos will open up your top ranked commentary, your top 3 translations, the passage guide, the Factbook, and the info pane. If you scroll through one of the resources, the other ones will follow, and if you click on a word, you will get the word study information in the info pane.
If you want to add different commentaries or other resources, just drag them onto the screen, and get things how you want them. You can keep them in sync with each other by clicking the 3 dots on the top right and picking a link set.
When everything is how you want it, click the layout button on the bottom left and save this layout as Passage Study. It will overwrite the template and whenever you type a Scripture in the go box and select passage study, it will give you what you have set up.
Alan Klasi said:You're overthinking this. If you have the LAC for Matthew open and type Mark 8:31 in, it will automatically take you to the correct volume in the series.
You can sort your library by clicking on what you want to sort by in the library. By default, it sorts to last used or something, but if you click "title" you can get it alphabetical. If you click "series" the series will be grouped together, etc.
Using Logos as a pastor, seminary professor, and Tyndale author
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That's true Justin, and you did a great job explaining, as you always do.
And also, I think Logos could make a very simple default layout that does what Alan asks for. I would use it for a lot of my basic studies. I am quite sure most others would as well. We have been asking for that for years. decades. Don't make "ridiculously complicated" the default.0 -
I agree. I think that letting us share layouts would be a huge benefit, so that we could create some "user's choice" layouts and share them with tutorials. As faculty at a seminary that uses Logos, it would also really help me give my classes a starting point.
Using Logos as a pastor, seminary professor, and Tyndale author
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Maybe the QuickStart Layouts can be helpful as well.
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I am searching for a replacement. I have given up on this complicated mess. I watched the videos and could barely make it functional for me. This mess cost me a fortune some years ago. Huge library too. I just cant bulid a study with it. I miss Parsons Quickverse. Has anyone found a usefull, intuitive alternative?
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Rick Kelley said:
I am searching for a replacement. I have given up on this complicated mess. I watched the videos and could barely make it functional for me. This mess cost me a fortune some years ago. Huge library too. I just cant bulid a study with it. I miss Parsons Quickverse. Has anyone found a usefull, intuitive alternative?
I used to use QuickVerse years ago. Sadly, it is gone, along with a good hand full of others, so we just don't have many left.
I think software is very much about how your head is wired and each of us is different. My experience with Logos is very positive, but that's just me. You might consider OliveTree to see if it clicks with you. I have never used it before, but I have heard some good things about it.
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Rick Kelley said:
I am searching for a replacement. I have given up on this complicated mess. I watched the videos and could barely make it functional for me. This mess cost me a fortune some years ago. Huge library too. I just cant bulid a study with it. I miss Parsons Quickverse. Has anyone found a usefull, intuitive alternative?
Hi Rick, the Logos forums have a rule against promoting competitors, so no one is really going to be able to answer your question here. But the forum community is really great, and I would hate to see your investment go to waste. If the advice I gave up top is not helpful for what you are trying to do, can you start a thread with a specific question? If you want to email me, maybe we could set up a Zoom call where you could share your screen and I could walk you through setting up what you want to do. The school I teach for requires Logos, so I have gotten pretty proficient at it. My email is my first name @alvinmbc.com (my name is Justin I am just not writing it out to avoid spambots).
Using Logos as a pastor, seminary professor, and Tyndale author
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Have you tried it on the web? Home - Logos Bible Study This is a much simpler version of Logos that still has all your resources.
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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Justin Gatlin said:
I agree. I think that letting us share layouts would be a huge benefit, so that we could create some "user's choice" layouts and share them with tutorials. As faculty at a seminary that uses Logos, it would also really help me give my classes a starting point.
I have always thought sharing layouts and workflows between resources would be a good thing for us Logos users to learn from each other.
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Donovan R. Palmer said:
I have always thought sharing layouts and workflows between resources would be a good thing for us Logos users to learn from each other.
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Das Gerücht ist nicht immer falsch; manchmal wählt es sogar den Sieger aus.[Tacitus]0 -
Yasmin Stephen said:
Maybe the QuickStart Layouts can be helpful as well.
These can form the basis of a Study Layout. When you find one that seems suitable, it is a question of knowing how to move panels around, add new ones and save the layout as one of your own. See https://wiki.logos.com/Layouts#Layout_Management
Dave
===Windows 11 & Android 13
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Dave Hooton said:
These can form the basis of a Study Layout. When you find one that seems suitable, it is a question of knowing how to move panels around, add new ones and save the layout as one of your own. See https://wiki.logos.com/Layouts#Layout_Management
Thanks, I'm aware. Was just giving the OP an option for pre-made layouts to get him started. I like to build my layouts from scratch.
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Rick Kelley said:
I am searching for a replacement. I have given up on this complicated mess. I watched the videos and could barely make it functional for me. This mess cost me a fortune some years ago. Huge library too. I just cant bulid a study with it. I miss Parsons Quickverse. Has anyone found a usefull, intuitive alternative?
Unfortunately, there is no replacement for Logos at this point. There is Accordance, but I found it to be extremely basic and the free programs do a better job than it does. Since you've already made the investment, you might try MP Seminars for training on how to use Logos. Their videos are very short, quick, to the point, and you can sign up for $20/month or pay for the whole year. I paid $20 for the first month and then went through all their videos in less than a month. Then I used short youtube videos to supplement.
When you say "build a study" with Logos, what do you mean exactly? Are you talking about building a sermon? Going through a Bible study? Doing research?
It does take some time to learn how to use the program. There is no way around it, simply because it does do tasks that other programs simply cannot do. I would have stayed with The Word Bible Software for the rest of my life, but it topped out on its abilities and I needed more features, capabilities. After trying several programs, Logos was the best of the bunch.
Once you learn the basics, then build yourself a layout that you prefer, it will start to work better. My layout is different than anyone else I know that uses Logos. But it works for me. I have a split screen so I can bounce back and forth between Logos and my notes software (I do not take notes in Logos).
The left side is a bible window with the information pane on the right with multiple tabs: NKJV; LXX/MT English; LXX/MT Greek; TR. The Copy Bible box at the top is primarily so I can read the entire bible reference because the actual reference selector cuts the end of the book name and reference off making it impossible to see. I can also copy a verse or passage with it so its handy.
The right side is a search widow that I've added several sermon files, prayer list, Bible Word Study (linked to text), Exegetical Guide (linked to text), then tabs for several commentaries, dictionaries, lexicons, systematic theologies, etc, all linked or as much as possible linked to the text. This way everything updates depending on what scripture I am on in the Bible pane. On the far right is the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, Cite Me tool (which I don't use), and Textual Variants.
This set up lets me have whatever "study" I'm doing open in the right pane as a sermon file. I find this better than the notes tool. I can click on any word and it will populate the info pane with all definitions, pronunciations, lexical information. I'm also able to copy Greek words from this pane which is helpful. Searches from the right pane are quick. My "sermon" studies or Bible studies or sunday school prep is easy enough, with quick access to references just by hovering over with the mouse.
But, the biggest issue is you have to first learn how the software works then customize it the way you want it to work (if you can). Logos has a lot of issues, a lot of limitations, and there are features and systems that are not at all intuitive. I often find myself wanting to do something and Logos just doesn't do it or it does it in such a way that it makes absolutely no sense at all. But, it is still the best software available to study the Bible with, especially if you are doing more than just your typical study (preaching, academic, extensive research, etc).
I would highly recommend you give it another shot, especially if you've already invested the money into a large package. I think if you try to go elsewhere you will only be disappointed. Invest a month into learning the software and trying to adapt it to how you study, or how you do research. If you can't make it work you've only lost a month of your time. But it might also turn out that you really like the software once you get your hands around it.
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An excellent place for help with Logos is YouTube. Start YouTube then type in "How do I do xxxxxxxxxxxxxx in Logos Bible Software"... and you'll get YouTubes on how to do it. Many users of Logos have put all kinds of videos on how to do just about anything in Logos.
xn = Christan man=man -- Acts 11:26 "....and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch".
Barney Fife is my hero! He only uses an abacus with 14 rows!
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Alan:
Sorry for the trouble you are having. I started way way back on Quickverse. I liked it. But, I got Logos after QV went away and soon learned its ways. It has had ups and downs for me as it evolved. Version 4 was a big swallow. But, now I like the current iteration. I cannot get around at all in Accordance. It makes no sense to me. Logos does.
There have been some great suggestions on how to get more familiar with it. Hang in there. I hope you will one day come to like it.
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This is a little old, but I did a blog post about how to make Logos behave like WS when Logos bought WS.
https://www.kevinpurcell.org/x-ways-to-make-logos-work-like-wordsearch/
Dr. Kevin Purcell, Director of Missions
Brushy Mountain Baptist Association0 -
Kevin A. Purcell said:
This is a little old, but I did a blog post about how to make Logos behave like WS when Logos bought WS.
https://www.kevinpurcell.org/x-ways-to-make-logos-work-like-wordsearch/
Excellent post! I didn't see it before now... so I worked through everything the "hard way".
I am of the opinion now that Logos is better than WordSearch as it is more powerful and after the "learning curve" a person is able to do things that WordSearch couldn't do. But the "learning curve" was like going uphill both ways. lol. [8-|]
xn = Christan man=man -- Acts 11:26 "....and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch".
Barney Fife is my hero! He only uses an abacus with 14 rows!
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xnman said:Kevin A. Purcell said:
This is a little old, but I did a blog post about how to make Logos behave like WS when Logos bought WS.
https://www.kevinpurcell.org/x-ways-to-make-logos-work-like-wordsearch/
Excellent post! I didn't see it before now
Thanks a bunch!
Dr. Kevin Purcell, Director of Missions
Brushy Mountain Baptist Association0
