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Previewing a book's contents

Bill Street

There are times when I read the description you give of a book, but I'm still not sure if it is exactly what I need. The factor that helps more than anything else in making a decision whether or not to buy is when I can read a sample of the book's contents. Why can I read a sample of some books and not others? It would be a TREMENDOUS HELP if sample passages were available from all books. Thanks for all you do!

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JT (alabama24)

Bill, my guess is that this is often because of publishers. On Amazon, for example, when a book does not have a preview, it has a link "Publisher, learn how customers can search inside this book." In any case, is there a particular book you are interested in learning more about?

Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :)

There are times when I read the description you give of a book, but I'm still not sure if it is exactly what I need. The factor that helps more than anything else in making a decision whether or not to buy is when I can read a sample of the book's contents. Why can I read a sample of some books and not others? It would be a TREMENDOUS HELP if sample passages were available from all books.

As a Logos user, also would like more sample pages with representative content. For one resource, found Google Books had text; after reading many pages, ordered Logos resource.

Wiki has => Logos Resource Reviews with samples from many Logos resources.

General forum often has threads requesting opinions about various Logos resources.

Suggestions forum has many threads about desired resources for Logos plus more, including program and web site improvements.

Keep Smiling [:)]

toughski

It would be a TREMENDOUS HELP if sample passages were available from all books. Thanks for all you do!

Thank you LOGOS for tremendous breadth of resources already available. I would love the ability to "send a sample to Logos4" a-la Kindle.

George Somsel

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/308717#Comment_308717

It would be a TREMENDOUS HELP if sample passages were available from all books. Thanks for all you do!

Thank you LOGOS for tremendous breadth of resources already available. I would love the ability to "send a sample to Logos4" a-la Kindle.

[Y] That would be better than some of the selected pages allowed to be previewed on the website. Sometimes the TOC tells the story, but that is what is sometimes omitted (in other cases, the TOC isn't very helpful — especially if the TOC is long and consumes all of the preview pages).

Pastor Michael Huffman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/308733#Comment_308733

As a Logos user for many years, one of the frustrations have been about reviewing books. The sample pages are nice, but I do not consider the table of content or the preface as a suitable review. I have always wished that Logos would allow a trial period of books so that we may review the book, prepare a sermon for a week with the book, and other such things, to see of we are going to use it. The answer that has always been given back to me was, "Well we have a 30 day guarantee, if you do not like the book in 30 days return it and we will give you your money back". Well, that it Ok, execpt for the fact that it takes 3-5 days for the credit to be issued back on my card, which is not acceptable. I wish Logos would change this.

nicky crane

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/309011#Comment_309011

I have also felt embarrassed on the 2 occasions when I have returned resources. Logos have never complained, but I didn't like doing it.

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/309011#Comment_309011

I have always wished that Logos would allow a trial period of books so that we may review the book, prepare a sermon for a week with the book, and other such things, to see of we are going to use it.

It would be too easy for someone to copy the whole book and return it. Logos books do not have the same copy protection that other eBooks often do.

The answer that has always been given back to me was, "Well we have a 30 day guarantee, if you do not like the book in 30 days return it and we will give you your money back". Well, that it Ok, execpt for the fact that it takes 3-5 days for the credit to be issued back on my card, which is not acceptable.

Sounds pretty petty to me, Michael. You want Logos to loan you the book for free for 30 days, and you gripe over a fairly standard practice of a credit refund (some of which is beyond the control of Logos).

Pastor Michael Huffman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/309062#Comment_309062

It would be too easy for someone to copy the whole book and return it. Logos books do not have the same copy protection that other eBooks often do.

Well. no more easy than telling everyone in my congregation to download the free Logos 4 engine and then giving them my user name and password! It is all an honor system and for dishonest people there is always away to "cheat the system".

Sounds pretty petty to me, Michael. You want Logos to loan you the book for free for 30 days, and you gripe over a fairly standard practice of a credit refund (some of which is beyond the control of Logos).

Such is your opinion, just like I have mine. I know from having to receive credits for books that some of it is within Logos control. Not the bank processing, however I realize. But the 3-5 days I was talking about is the amount it took from within Logos processing (which, by the way, is in there control). I am not asking Logos to give me anything, just provide better sample pages (not the preface or table of content).

But I certainly did not write in order to be responded without grace. We really need to work on our sharp tongues in the forum with other brother's and sister's in Christ.

Dave McCann

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/309027#Comment_309027

Not to but into the conversation, however a simple solution would be to do like Amazon Kindle and that you read the first couple of chapters of the book.

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/309079#Comment_309079

Well. no more easy than telling everyone in my congregation to download the free Logos 4 engine and then giving them my user name and password! It is all an honor system and for dishonest people there is always away to "cheat the system".

That would be easier for Logos to track.

But I certainly did not write in order to be responded without grace. We really need to work on our sharp tongues in the forum with other brother's and sister's in Christ.

I will rephrase: I don't think that it is unreasonable to expect 3-5 days for a refund, which is a fairly common practice. Furthermore, there are plenty of books I would "borrow" for 30 days if I knew I wouldn't have to pay for them. This seems unreasonable to me.

I apologize if you took offenses at my comments. They were intended to be direct, but not an attack upon you or your sensibilities. Please forgive me.

Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/309083#Comment_309083

Not to but into the conversation, however a simple solution would be to do like Amazon Kindle and that you read the first couple of chapters of the book.

Welcome [:D]

Wonder about a simple solution using http://biblia.com so could look at a chapter or two for resources without license, ideally with link to Logos.com or Vrsyo.com to purchase that resource. Also would like account option to not display unlicensed resources, possibly with list of choices for unlicensed resource(s) to display: all, base package upgrade(s), bundle(s), ...

Keep Smiling [:)]

nicky crane

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/309087#Comment_309087

It would still be possible to copy the books during the 30 days and then return them. I returned the Chesterton collection, as I wanted the books on Kindle and found I could get them (free) in Kindle format on the internet. I had in fact copied one onto my KIndle, and took care to delete all copies of that. But I could have kept the copies, had my conscience allowed it. Logos has only my word that I didn't keep copies. Vyrso books are different. I tend to read some of them within a day or 2. I get mostly the freebies, or very cheap books. I've had some the like of which I wouldn't get again, even for free. But at the price I pay, I can afford to have some I don't like.

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/309106#Comment_309106

Nicky - Do you know anyone else who does a 30 trial period for books? As it is, Logos is more than generous with their return policy.

George Somsel

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/309112#Comment_309112

Do you know anyone else who does a 30 trial period for books? As it is, Logos is more than generous with their return policy.

Agreed. I would, however like to see the possiblity of downloading the table of contents and 1 chapter to review. This would be much better than the current preview pages where sometimes the selection of pages is somewhat less than helpful in making a decision. Since L4 is pretty much managed by The Cloud, it would be possible to allow a specific period of time for the preview after which it would be zapped.

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/309120#Comment_309120

Agreed. I would, however like to see the possiblity of downloading the table of contents and 1 chapter to review.

Sounds good to me. This is how some other booksellers do it, although I don't think it is available for all titles, but is at the publishers discretion.