Porfolio resources

This primarily to those who have the Porfolio package. I would like to know which resources have been most helpful. Please include all types of resources: dictionaries, commentaries, language resources, individual sources, etc. I'm currently downloading it now after upgrading from Platinum. I'm curious as to how to prioritize all of this. It is quite overwhelming. Thanks!

CL

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john joyce

sorry to not be more helpful but is overwhelming and you don't have to immediately jump in and prioritise everything straight away. whats you main interest? thats a good start. Also one mans meat is anothers poison - the first thing I did when looking through was hide "Dr" Robert Moreys "works" as they are anathema to me. You may be a fan.

What I think is a good is browsing what you have bit by bit and giving an appropriate tag and perhaps star rating indicating your interest. The beauty with portfolio is you get so much and the chance to read works you would not necessarily buy.

Sure someone will be along with a more helpful answer soon, have fun !

John

Whyndell Grizzard

Logosfan

I have had the Portfolio package since its offering- I do have an extensive library far more than that package offers, what I have found is the are a great number of resources that I do not use probably 20-25% of the items.

You would be far wiser depending on your present library to buy platinum; then take the additional 2500 pick the best resources you really want and call logos and work out a deal.

I have 6660 resources- and have spent over 20k on Logos since 1995- wisdom- use wisdom- don't buy for the sake of buying- buy what you truly need for ministry and growth.

The most important book you own is the Scriptures.

john joyce

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/409660#Comment_409660

he had said he already was downloading portfolio after upgrading from platinum. I would too have suggested thinking carefully before getting otherwise

David Ames

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/409672#Comment_409672

he had said he already was downloading portfolio after upgrading from platinum. I would too have suggested thinking carefully before getting otherwise

He has 20 Days to change his mind. [[yes, I know that it is 30 but if one waits till the last day one may miss the boat]

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/409762#Comment_409762

Thanks for keeping me accountable about spending habits, however this time around I've upgraded because I'm planning to join the MABTS that Knox offers. They provide Portfolio in the cost of tuition.

David Ames

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/409854#Comment_409854

Thanks for keeping me accountable about spending habits, however this time around I've upgraded because I'm planning to join the MABTS that Knox offers. They provide Portfolio in the cost of tuition.

Have you seen the thread at http://community.logos.com/forums/p/49360/365453.aspx#365453 ???

David Wilson

I did not upgrade through the same route and already had a number of the collections now included in Portfolio when I was offered a great deal to complete the upgrade when Portfolio first came out. Would I do it again, yes indeed. Are there some resources I rarely/never use, well of course there would be in such a large collection. But given there is a lot I don't know about what I don't know there are often surprises that come up in areas that I had not anticipated when doing searches .

What do I use most often of Portfolio that is not in Platinum:
Commentaries: JPS Tanakh Commentary, International Theological Commentary and even the Lectionary Commentary when there is a shortage of preparation time.
Bible History and Culture: JPS Dictionary and JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions, Studies in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Understanding the Bible and its World
Bible Reference: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Biblical Studies: Nice set by Martyn Lloyd-Jones and to help understand those who are outside the box, the Gnostic and Apocryphal Studies Collection
Theology: Ariel Ministries Messianic Collection, Colin E Guton, Pannenberg and Lewis Sperry Chafer Theologies, Problems in Theology set

Seem to be at least two philosophies around within Logos users: you can decide based on experience with paper books which collections / commentaries etc you really really need (and use a lot) and focus on getting those and little beyond that, or alternatively you can see what larger groupings include what you want and spend extra to get a much larger library (at a much lower cost per volume) based on the concept that you still have a lot to learn about what you may eventually find useful. Larger groupings, especially when you get the occasional special collection offered around Christmas time, can get you into resources and perspectives you might never have thought would be useful, especially when dealing with the multitude of perspectives we seem to meet more and more frequently. Of course if you get broad based packages you will always accumulate resources that you find less than useful in the longer term, and you will frequently encounter opinions with which you may disagree, and that will eventually result in you using a lot less than 100% of your collection. But you will probably find you paid less for what you do use than if you had bought each of the items individually. As an example, about 18 months ago Logos came up with a package deal containing a number of collections (many still to be published) that I had ordered on pre-pub. I was able to get the larger package, which included four additional collections that I had not ordered on pre-pub but had some interest in, cancel my individual pre-pub orders now included in the new package and save several hundred dollars on what I had already ordered plus get additional collections that I had originally decided were beyond my budget and which I have since used.

There are occasional opportunities like this to get more than you might at first think you need, for less than the cost of the resources you would want otherwise to buy seperately (because they would be really really useful.) Check recently listed pre-pubs, we seem to be entering a phase which is quite the reverse of what was once the practice. We now seem to be getting titles first offered individually but subsequently offered within larger groups at a better price. Certainly keeps you on your toes and needing to keep careful track of what you have already ordered individually on pre-pub.

Mike Childs

Everyone's needs are different, but I for one chose to stop my package at Platinum. I do not regret it. Portfolio was just not worth the price for me. Instead I have added the NICOT/NT, and the Ancient Christian Commentary, and N. T. Wright's Everyone commentaries, and Cranfield's Romans, and Anchor Bible Dictionary, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones works, and John Wesley's Works, and Luther's Works, and many other resources that I know I will use. You get the idea. And I added these resources gradually, taking advantage of every Logos special sale that I could afford.

I would not personally give $500, much less $2000 for the difference in Platinum and Portfolio. That is not to say Portfolio is not worth the cost to some. It is to say that there are other things that I need far more and for less money. I would not use much that is in Portfolio, but not in Platinum.

I would not trade the library that I have for Portfolio.

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/410067#Comment_410067

logosfan, I see you are already downloading it and look to know what is useful. David Wilson gave a good list, many of them I would agree with. In addition, a couple of resources that come to mind are Dictionary of Deities and Demons, and the College Press Commentary Series. The latter is a nice blend of serious study that is packaged for accessibility by laymen and serious students alike. Some volumes I appreciate more than others. For instance, I think Gary Hall's Deuteronomy has fresh and clear insight. I have also used Tesh/Zorn's Psalms set. Several NT ones have been helpful, others too brief/surface. I'm sure there are others. Happy investigating to see what works for you!

fgh

I don't have Portfolio, but I have quite a lot of what's in there, and I agree with David: don't miss the JPS commentaries and the many other Jewish resources. I haven't read it, but The Theology of St Cyril of Alexandria is also supposed to be very good.

For languages, there's HALOT and Liddell-Scott, of course, as well as Josephus and the Pseudepigrapha in Greek.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/410073#Comment_410073

Thank you all for responding. Initially, I'm most excited about JNP, ISBE and NIV College Press. I think these are the obvious resources, however I don't want to miss out on really quality stuff just because of a lack of knowledge.

Also, would someone be willing to break down the differences between all the Greek and Hebrew language resources? I'm a newbie when it comes to the biblical languages but would like to start incorporating it into my studies.

Thanks.

fgh

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/410434#Comment_410434

would someone be willing to break down the differences between all the Greek and Hebrew language resources?

Have you looked at the Wiki page on Resource Reviews?