How do you use it? Logos Factbook

Jason Stone (Logos)

The "Factbook" in Logos offers detailed information on biblical people, places, events, and more, all in one place. It’s like having a comprehensive encyclopedia at your fingertips.

How do you use Factbook and how has this feature deepened your understanding of Scripture? Screenshots are welcome!

Learn more about what you can do with Factbook here: https://support.logos.com/hc/en-us/articles/360016146691-What-can-I-do-with-the-Factbook

MJ. Smith

I am a fan of Factbook but I'm feeling rather cranky about it recently because of the inconsistencies/errors in Biblical events/Biblical eras.

I am fond of the reformatting of information with the exception of the sparklines which provided a very quick way to scan for information. I also dislike the loss of the "synonym" information in the header which was essential for finding search terms

I am frustrated with the lack of response to adding obvious information such as the Talmudic rabbis or the people/places/things of the major pseudepigrapha.

It feels like the expanded content spent years getting more and more screwed up and that while we are reaping the benefits of a clearer vision of relationships we have spent so longer treading water that it is difficult to believe that it is starting to exhibit the promise shown years ago.

Donovan R. Palmer

My use of Factbook is not really profound. Most of the time, I am just reading large chunks of scripture with just the text, nothing else.

In the flow of the text, something might strike me, so I fire up the Factbook to pursue a line of thought around something in that particular verse. In addition to this, I will have Insights going so that I have cards tracking along, this too might cause me to use FactBook. I'll also have the search bar open at the top, which allows me to pursue a search and go straight back to the text.

I will open up other layouts when I want to do exegetical or church-era studies, and I will open up other layouts with a number of preset resources. In those cases, I use FactBook a lot less.

Lew Worthington

I don't use it much because the info I get back takes me a little off the sweet spot of where I want to end up. It's nice to have, but as @MJ. Smith said, there are enough gaps that I'd rather go directly to the book that will get me the depth I'm after. No complaints, but I just usually know where I want to go.

EastTN

I generally don't.

DMB

Me neither. Looks to me like a high-level intro, while dumping the kitchen sink.

John Fidel

I use the PG and EG for finding commentaries and resources related to the Bible text. I use Factbook if I want to start a topical study of a person, place or thing. This is where it shines for me.

Because I can customize the PG and EG I do not use Factbook when I can use those guides instead.

GregW

I tend to use it, like @John Fidel as a quick route to people, places, things or topics but have heavily customised the Passage Guide to my own workflow for exegetical work on a passage. I also sometimes use it as a quick route to a dictionary if I come across a term I haven't seen before, or when doing something on historical theology, a person I can't place.

As an aside, I really hope there isn't an intention to replace the Passage & Exegetical Guides, as I have spent years getting these to work exactly as I want them to, and to present information in a sequence in which it fits into my exegetical flow.

James Thompson

I agree with the comments expressing disappointment due to "inconsistencies/errors" for instance if you look at the video "Studying A Word In A Passage" I can't replicate the action/results. The idea of capturing everything in a single platform is great but there's a few bugs to be worked if you ask me. Continue refining it please.

Donovan R. Palmer

I too would struggle if the passage and exegetical guides were removed in favour of Factbook. Factbook is not a replacement for these tools.

Bob Venem

It's Wikipedia for Logos!

ASUNDER

Factbook is one of the things that helped my decision to move to Logos.

But have barely used it yet. There's just too much to do. 😅

xnman

I don't use Factbook much. Now keep that in mind with what I am saying…

I find that when I am needing information about something, Factbook will be a dis-tractor by taking me in directions I don't want to go for what I've asked for. It's the old adage of "when is too much information, too much information?". When I am in the middle of a study about something, I don't need "information overload" and have to wade through it all to get back to what I'm trying to find in the first place.

I know there are people that like Factbook. But personally, I would delete Factbook out of Logos and rather Logos keep developing Search and make Search the star pupil in it all. "One stop shopping" so to speak. Search has come a long long ways. If I want to find something Search is the one place to go to. If we have a good Search, then what is the purpose of Factbook, other than to add confusion? or maybe "bloatware"?

And I notice with V39 and V40, Logos is taking longer to load. I am thinking that is because of some of the "bloatware" maybe??? We have plenty of features. And while the features are good, maybe some of the features could be "combined" into one, as some of them are very similar in what they accomplish.

But then there is my problem. See, I am kind of a simple man and think in simple ways. lol 😎

GaoLu

I still long for the day of a simplified Logos. Maybe ESword on steroids. Mode ! and Mode 2 Would solve the new user problem. I am guessing that 99% of users would use Mod 2 (simplified) 80% of the time. Fast. Sleek. Intuitive. Bang! Pop! Whoosh! Subscribe to that!

Francis

I don't have much use Factbook. When I use it, it is mainly as quick access to dictionaries. Usually, it may be finding quick key information about a topic I am interested in and on occasion, scrolling down to the dictionaries section. Smart search synopsis is now a faster option to get to information but Factbook has the advantage of not using AI credits.

I appreciate the fact that the new design is more pleasant to look at but do not relate to the lenses nor find that it really improves exploration.

The sidebar is rich in information but I almost never use it. It is not searchable and the Factbook search box itself competes with the sidebar way to access topics. Perhaps a real filter bar would help Factbook, something akin to how it works in the Library but focused on displaying information rather than books.

Jerry Bush

@GaoLu - I agree. One solution I have dreamed of is the ability to turn off individual features/tools.

I mean turn them off to the point where they are not simply hidden but they don't load at all. There are several I would dump and the first one would be Canvas.

DMB

I wish the Factbook icons would just go away (option). Of course, I'm on the gorgious, highly efficient old toolbar menu. The factbook icon won't disappear until the last moment, on smaller panels.

But big picture, I'd hope the Factbook is like a road map for new users. Without it, power features tend to be hidden here and there.

Willem J. de Wit

I like the Factbook, especially for quickly finding a person or topic in multiple encyclopedias.
In the Android App, it should get a more prominent place, e.g., at the bottom of the screen (instead of "Dashboard," which I use much less).
The Factbook as it is now cannot replace the passage guide, etc. But if you make the Factbook as customazible as these guides, then it could become the all-in-one place to go.

Jeffrey Benson

I am starting to use it more often and like all the enhancements - the improved organization as well as the ability to summarize things to decide if I would dig deeper. I also use PG and EG and a custom guide I created.

Ryland Brown

I use Factbook almost every day. When I’m reading and a theological term or person comes up that I’m not familiar with, Factbook makes quick work. I also appreciate the Bible Book Guide section.

Mike W

I also use Facebook almost daily. I mostly use the iPad or web app and Facebook provides quick answers to various questions I have while studying.

Charlene

I don't use it that much and the times that I do, it rarely gives me what I am looking for. So, I usually bypass it.

Daniel A. Peterson

I have not found the Factbook to be useful. I will typically search a theological dictionary or single volume commentary and work from there using additional key words. The Factbook responses are too scattered, too much chaff to take time sorting out the wheat.

Donovan R. Palmer

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1362424#Comment_1362424

I need to test it because I prioritized my resources long before Factbook was created, but I think this helps Factbook give better results on which materials you feel are of better quality. I am not ‘selling’ FactBook, but rather offer it as a suggestion to try in case it proves to be more useful (and if desired).

Daniel A. Peterson

Thanks for your advice! I had done some prioritizing years ago, but had not kept up with it. Adding more dictionaries and commentaries to the priority list has helped.

Daniel A. Peterson

An interesting experiment: Searching in Factbook for the term quadriga was only returning results from a dictionary that I haven’t ever used. I demoted this item to the bottom of the priority list. Factbook returned the identical result. Hiding the resource caused Factbook to not return any results at all. I am guessing the index needs updating. It will be interesting to see if the results improve in a day or two.

James Johnson

One of the best ways to use the factbook, is to LINK IT TO YOUR BIBLE!

By doing this, you can have it follow you in your study, quickly pulling information like commentaries, word studies, etc

The only problem with the factbook is that you can't edit it like you can a passage guide…

I have preposed a suggestion for this as well.

Editing the fact book suggestion VOTE NOW

GO VOTE!

Beloved Amodeo

I use Factbook extensively like @Bob Venem I judge it the Wikipedia of Logos; wondering at times is what presented are verifiable facts or not. I'll illustrate with an example: Dt 14.15 (NABRE) reference to the unclean kestrel; is it truly the night hawk? Sources for this opinion would be welcome.