Sermon Addon is KID - Killed In Development?

on Uservoice page it is marked as "planned - updated over 1 year ago" (when you hover on the button "planned") but not even "started" as iPad's note-taking and highlights project.

on woefully outdated Missing Features page it is stated to be "planned for addition to Logos 4" in Q2 2011.

I am thankful for LOGOS releasing Personal Books, but they are not an adequate substitute for Sermon Addon in archiving/accessing sermons and illustrations:

Personal books do not work well with biblical references in many foreign languages
there is no EASY way to add keywords/tags/scripture reference to PB as was available in SA

In the 2 years since L4 release LOGOS has gotten into a multitude of fringe areas, the biggest of which were Proclaim and Vyrso. They took a lot of time and energy on "creating infrastructure", marketing, customer support, etc., while promises to core customers were set aside. Seriously, though, either give us a FIRM date and deliver on it or stop making empty promises for 2 years running. Of course, Proclaim and Vyrso are money-making vehicles, Sermon Addon is not. However, keeping one's word is a mark of one's integrity.

As far as I am concerned, LOGOS does not owe me anything, and if they stated upfront "we are halting the development of this feature, we might work on it in our spare time, but don't hold your breath" then the expectations would not be there. So far, LOGOS has been disappointing many users for 2 years running.

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Comments

MJ. Smith

Logos has given no indication that they are not intending to produce a sermon function. However, they have indicated that it will work with a different online structure than the current Logos sermon site. One may legitimately question whether more time in design could have saved Logos time in developing the new functions e.g. the reworking of the synchronization and some of the apparent duplication of code (in notes). But if you have watched the release of new features and reworked features, it appears that Logos has sufficient resources on the base Logos 4 project. By sufficient resources I mean that the design, testing and quality assurance staff and the code management tools seem unready to handled a larger development crew.

For all having a background in large systems development - how much of the last two years would you estimate were used to:

add features not on the original schedule because of user demand
rework features to support multi-platform use
correct bugs and improve performance
build the "invisible" superstructure needed to support Logos 4 features
adding promised features into Logos 4

I don't think one can support the argument that because we don't currently have the feature, it is not coming. And before you label me a "fan-boy, allow me to note that 3 features critical to my use of Logos are still not present / functioning appropriately. I blame it on a "code first, think second" development cycle.

DAL

Personally, I'm not in a hurry for the Sermon File since we now have Personal Book Builder. I think they should focus on improving more the PBB to get in to it some of the features of the sermon file than creating a separate sermon file module. I already have some of my sermons in the PBB and it works just fine. Put sermons in a book with table of contents and the rest can be added in the introduction of each sermon (i.e. date, where preached, etc.).

Philana Crouch

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/310910#Comment_310910

One of the features I did appreciate about the Sermon File Add-In was the ability to track where a sermon, talk or illustration had been used. But since this would have to have been re-added each time it was used anyway and then compiled, this could just be added to the Personal Book and recompiled. I would agree with continuing to improve the Personal Book features. But I understand, its easy to like a specific tool, and when that changes it gets frustrating. But I think the Personal Book could be adapted to use for the Sermon File (especially since what the Sermon File and Illustration did was create a book in our libraries.

Blessings,

Philana

tom

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/310836#Comment_310836

"code first, think second"

This will get you in trouble each time you use it. I personally have never seen it work. While it does help bring in money for the short term, it cost a lot more in the long run.

toughski

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/310836#Comment_310836

I don't think one can support the argument that because we don't currently have the feature, it is not coming.

MJ,

I believe you misunderstood my point. I would RATHER they said it was not coming, than give promises that it was, while starting a myriad (I am exaggerating) of side projects. I guarantee you, developing Vyrso or Proclaim added nothing to Logos' core functionality or infrastructure. These are totally separate endeavors.

So, I gave up waiting for SA for the time being. I found that Clippings work for me better than PB for storing/retrieval of sermons and illustrations.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/311009#Comment_311009

These are totally separate endeavors.

I don't use either product so I'm not familiar with their interconnections - my point was that they don't effect the Logos 4 timelines as more resources On Logos 4 would not speed the delivery. Perhaps, because I spent my career in IT, I give little credence to management's proposed delivery schedule ... and so far the adjustments have been typical of shops that use the development cycle Logos embraces.

Robbie Boyd

I, too, am puzzled as to the long-time expectation that Sermon Addin would have already been here and there is nothing. It was a valuable tool in L3 and it seems natural to include it. The possibility of replacing it with Personal Book Builder and the sermon website doesn't fill the same purpose.