So how did everyone get introduced to Logos? What do you think could be done to get it into the hands of more people? Are you a pastor, teacher, or everyday person who uses Logos to study the Bible better?
I first learned of Logos in the mission field (Dominican Republic). I'd tried a couple of Bible programs and was fairly unimpressed. They were little more than fancy concordances. I had a concordance. I didn't need a concordance.
A friend let me borrow [clears throat] his 3.5" floppy disks to give Logos a test drive. I did and bought it the first chance I got. This was more than a Bible search program even then (about 1.2 or 1.3, I think). And when I found out I could get the Reina Valera (Spanish Bible), I was sold.
EDIT: Let me add that I'm a pastor-teacher, and everyday person (well at least I'm a person every day).
I am a pastor, and have really gotten my money's worth out of Logos. I had tried several different brands of Bible software (wasted a lot of money), only to find out that none of them could do what I wanted them to do. I finally began to research Bible software online, and settled on Logos and Bible Works (I use Logos much more). Both of them were good investments that I should have made years earlier, I would have saved a lot of money.
I was introduced to the software by a user (Dwayne Davis, I believe), who sold me a Logos commentary on ebay. He graciously included a starter package in the ebible format so that I could have somewhere to start. From there, I have gone on to buy more and more upgrades so that today I have Logos 4 Platinum. I love the program and have forgotten all the other bible software on my hard drive.
I am an associate pastor who has a bible college education and a BS in biology. Normal?? depends on whom you ask!!
Word of mouth is the best way to spread the news, other than that having an inexpensive starter package say for $5.00 each so that the program could be given away to prospective users would be nice. The program sells itself.
In Christ,
Pastor Chris McFarland
I'm a layperson who is a trained scientist (PhD in sports medicine, board-certified clinical exercise specialist) and happen to teach adult SS (Southern Baptist).
I've know about Logos for a number of years, but never bought it (too much $$). I've used a couple of the cheap packages one can buy, but mostly, I just used an old NKJV MacArthur SB CD I got free with a bible in the 90s, and cut-and-pasted text from it and worked up my SS lessons the old fashioned way. In the past few years a couple things happened to change my view of the need for Logos-type software. First, I've started using some Greek and some more in-depth resources for SS lesson prep (I got tired of the fluff they call SS material in the SBC). I took classical Greek as an undergrad, so I can use the Greek in a very rudimentary way. I also work with a half-dozen seminary-trained theologians with whom I have great discussion at times about the scholarly part of theology, and that has influenced my view of the need for scholarly software. Second, in the past couple years, I've discovered the doctrines of grace. In the process, I've learned of the great volume of valuable Christian material written in the past four hundred years, and wanted a way to tie it into my SS lesson prep at appropriate points. My denomination is so experiential in its emphasis, at the expense of the rich history and theology of the church as a whole, and as such, much of the fundamentals of the doctrines of grace are very deep theological ideas to many of the adults in my SS class.
I decided to buy Logos a couple months back, and purchased the L3 Gold edition. Because of my academic status(I'm a college dean now), I was able to get a bit of a price break. Not as much as a seminary student, I think, but a very nice discount by any measure. Logos is immensely helpful in doing the research I do for my class. Switching to L4 hasn't been simple for me (you'll notice most of my posts are questions, not answers), but I love the software anyway and I'm very grateful to the Logos folks for making this available and I'm glad they can make a good living doing this kind of thing.
I first became aware of Logos via the local Christian bookshop.I'm not convinced it's a good move that Logos is pulling out of bookshops.
Re your 2nd question, I'm a lecturer in a Christian College, and wanted something better than the 2 previous products I'd purchased over the years. Logos far surpassed my expectations: I wish I'd bought it years ago. But I probably wouldn't have it now if it had not been in the bookshops.
I am a layperson, who had questions about my faith, in terms of "why do we believe, what we believe".
I looked for Lutheran resources and found one through Concordia Publishing. It referred to "Libronix", which I had to research. Found you guys and discovered that I could pump lots more money into more books, than I ever could, a sailboat (grin).
Been happy with the Lutheran resources available and how they nicely integrate with what is available through you directly. So I have a lot of yours, a lot of Concordia's and I want more synchronization (and including those published works in L4 (they are) and my iPhone (they are not; not yet).
Do you have any deals you offer to churches, on behalf of their members, to "get them started"???
That is the only idea I have.
My first Bible study software, that precipitated my first computer purchase, was CDWord Library from Dallas Theological Seminary (I still have the original CD BTW). It was more like Logos is now than Logos was back then (I think). It ran on a runtime version of Windows 2.0 and used a then pretty new CDROM to deliver its contents. Logos bought CDWord library and i became a Logos user with an upgrade to Logos 1.6 (I believe). It was the launch of Series X that really fully brought me into the fold.
So how did everyone get introduced to Logos?
I think years ago I somehow stumbled through an internet search the website "Automating X" . It was a website dedicated to using Logos Series X at the time. Anyone else remember it?
When I was attending one of my on campus class at Trinity in Indianam they offered a theological journal that uses libronix as the medium and from then on i have been expanding I am now a platinum
I started out using QuickVerse when I got my first IBM Compatible. I was grateful for QuickVerse at the time because it allowed me to bring verses over into my word processor. I found out about Logos through Christian Computing Magazine. I bought a basic package at the time and gradually begin buying the individual books. I have Scholar's Platinum 4 now.
I appreciate Logos because it places at my fingertips the tools that I need to prepare my sermons. I can also take my library anywhere I go on my laptop.
A couple of books I bought for college came with Libronix CDs which gave me my first introduction to the software. Hayes & Holladay's 3rd ed. gave me introduced me to the company by name.
Strangely enough, none of my lecturers had heard of Logos until I questioned them about the best choice of software to aid my studies. Since they're all mac users they were quick to point me to the "A" program. Little assistance for a win user like me. They were not even aware that Logos existed for Mac. Fellow students were no more the wiser having bought whatever they use from their local Christian bookshop.
Hopefully, once I've decided upon a package I can pass the word along. However, since most of my fellow Aussies prefer the local bookshop to the web, it may prove to be an uphill struggle.
I am a layman, I'd never used bible software before and never even heard of such a thing...
I had a bible, Strongs HUGE concordance, and a Hally's bible handbook...
If you've ever studied with all that stuff scattered all over the kitchen table....you know how long it takes to get information...
One day a guy offered me a priated copy of Bibleworks; I had no idea what it was or what it did....but I installed the "bootleg" copy....
About 15 minutes after install...my conscience got the better of me and I uninstalled and threw it in the trash...
But that started a thought process (both about my soul and what stealing is) and about bible software....
I looked into buying either Bibleworks or Logos...they seemed to be the two top dogs....and Logos seemed more user friendly by far....
And so one call to Dave Kaplan...and here I am.... [:D]
I am a pastor of a tiny church and Logos helps me afford resources I otherwise would never be able to own. I just started looking at Bible software online and, honestly was (and might still be) drawn to Accordance, but no to the price of a mac, especially since I already own a pc. I love Logos and am excited for 4 to flesh out and be every bit as useful as 3. Thanks, guys.
I've been using Bible software since the 80's. I started, with Logos, when there was the promotion of the free "electronic" version of the ESV bible that came with the eBible sampler edition. Awhile latter Nelson sent me an offer for one of their "Everything But the Kitchen Sink" packages, and I couldn't refuse. So now with a ton of resources, I was using Libronix more, and I wanted to add the NIV with the "Boxed only" addins, so I bought the Bible Study Library.
After this I just purchased books as I wanted them, and being the frugal steward that I am, bought a lot of 3rd party, Libronix format titles that I would find on discount. Then as the "fates" would have it I stumbled across an old unopened version of The Scholar's Library (QA, I think). Upgraded that to NA, and now have Silver, thanks in no small part to the tremendous upgrade discount that came with 4.
I was an old DOS man and I clung to DOS as though my very life depended on it. Finally since I was beginning my work on Revelation I walked into a local Christian bookstore and looked around but didn't see much of anything of interest (and it was a good-sized store). I did see a kiosk with bible software but didn't see much of interest there either so I talked to the manager. She recommended that I contact Logos since my interests were more academic than the material they carried. I contacted Logos and bought my first Windows machine (Windows 95). The last time (and probably only time) I calculated I had purchased more than $5000.00 since 2003 (I stopped at $5000.00 since I was getting depressed). I might note that 2003 is the earliest records they have on the computer. I called customer service the other day to see if they could provide proof of purchase for the Unitype Global Writer I had purchased years ago and found that the current records only go back to 2003 (as on the records online in My Account). For the earlier records they needed to contact accounting. I hope they're able to find it since I can get the upgrade for ½ price if I can prove that I own a previous version.
BTW: I still miss DOS. I like the command line.
I first started using Libronix as a missionary. I did a lot of research on the best Bible program for me and tried out many. When I learned that I could get journals via Galaxie on the Libronix system, I bought it and was hooked. Libronix has been a huge help to me on the mission field. I am a Gospel preacher, Bible teacher and did church planting in Poland.
I am a Gospel preacher, Bible teacher and did church planting in Poland.
I might be called a "church planter" as well -- as in dig a hole, throw it in and cover it up. The problem is that churches don't seem to grow very well that way. It's certainly not like the corn fields all around me where I grew up. [;)]
I first began preaching (after being a school teacher) in 1992. I purchased my first pc (386 processor...no floppie needed to bootup the shiny Win 3.0). About this time I was in a bookstore that had Quickverse 2.0. I recently had done a word study that took 8 hours and the same study in Quickverse took MUCH less time.... I was hooked up Bible Software. In 1993 I was at a home of a fellow gospel preacher who had Logos 1.6 and I drooled at what it could do, but my workflow with Quickverse and price wouldn't allow me to switch. Then in 1998 my wife got tired (my words, not hers) purchased Logos 2.0 "Level 4" for Valentine's (what a sweetheart!)...I nearly had a "heart" attack ([:P]). To ensure my delight in Logos I also decided to research and do Bible Software Reviews back in the late 90s and early part of this decade....and kept coming back to Logos until they upgraded to "Libronix" (was that 2.1? or 3.0?). Took a year or so off from "Libronix" until they got things right (when a future release optimized speed) and haven't looked back since.
I have 1) been a Logos reseller in the past and 2) use word of mouth soooooo much that people ask if I work for Logos (my wife has suggested that I put in an application because she says I am a defacto employee). BTW - I just showed Logos 4 to three more people this week (2 Bible college students - one of which uses "A" - and another fellow gospel preacher).
(I got tired of the fluff they call SS material in the SBC)
I totally agree with that sentiment.[Y] Sometimes, I don't think it is advanced enough to be called fluff. I would rather do independent study, prepare a handout and teach from the Bible.
As to the original question. I don't remember when and where I first heard about Logos or even when I made my first purchase. I do know that I started using Logos on a Mac under Virtual PC before Microsoft purchased the company and destroyed the product.
Today, I want to look ahead to the day Logos 4 is full-featured and native on the Mac OS. After all these years of waiting, I believe it is drawing near. It may arrive before the Lord Jesus returns. If not, I don't think the delay will seem important any longer [8-|]
I had tried a couple of the freeware packages as well as the pre-Pradis version from that 'other' Bible software maker. [;)] Most had varying levels of frustration attached. Then I had my first taste of 2.x when my wife gave me the collected works of Oswald Chambers for my birthday. It's a big mule-choker of a book that also had a CD with all the books in Logos. I was so impressed with LDLS that my honey gifted me with the Scholar's library the very next Christmas, If I remember correctly, that was right around the time that the 2.0 -> 2.1 upgrade was released. I've been taking advantage of upgrade specials, holiday specials and prepubs ever since. I'm so blessed by the breadth and depth of the resources available. I'd never have been able to amass a print library of this size, much less house it. [:)]
Totally by accident, I has moving and lost the bible software I had. So I went to the bible store to purchase it again I has happy with what I had. I ran across logos because they did not have what I has using. Did not really like Logos at first has not really friendly user like the one I had, but along with the upgrades it begin to grow on me and used it every since. I recommand it to my friends all the time, yet the price is to high for most of the people I come in contect with. Most of the people I know are not students so they will not get the discount. Wish logos had some kind of start up price for low income people who really need this great resource.
When I started seminary, I was already been using a freeware Bible program. When language classes rolled around, I asked my profs which Bible software would help. They pointed me to the few that had both NA27, BHS, BADG, & BDB. Logos was on the radar. At that time, other Bible software was judged better for original language research. But Logos was already the better solution for a pastor's library . They already had agreements with dozens of publishers--not just works. I purchased the OLL for 1.6 & haven't looked back.
What do you think could be done to get it into the hands of more people?
Continue & emphasize the educational programs. Each pastor will be the evangelist to a larger number of folks for their own Bible software.
Are you a pastor, teacher, or everyday person who uses Logos to study the Bible better?
I'm now a pastor who uses Logos for sermon & Bible study development. At times, I've even used Logos & a projector to teach a Bible class. Though we use projection in worship, so far, I'm not using graphics, as we're a tiny church, have limited resources, & it's too maintenance intensive to prepare power point.
I'm just a regular person, no bible or theology education, and I was happily using other bible software of varying prices. I had run into frustration with original languages, especially since I didn't know them. These, and other interests kept running me into the name "Michael Heiser", whom I eventually worked up the nerve to contact directly to ask for advice on which approach he recommended to learning Hebrew. He was incredibly kind and helpful, and also said if I decided to try Logos, give Dave Kaplan a call. And I know I don't have to explain what happens when you "give Dave Kaplan a call": your life changes in very good ways. That was about six months ago, and I've just upgraded to version 4, though I haven't installed it yet. (Yes, computer "up on blocks" behind me waiting to be returned to service, I'm talking about you.)
As to getting it into the hands of more people, I think the answer is to continue to be excellent, make the software better and solve the problems people have with other forms of bible study. You know, like with version 4. The cream rises to the top, and will be talked about by more people. This ain't the days of VHS vs Betamax. We can all talk to each other now, and when the question comes up, so will the best answers.Also, try hearing when people ask the question, and point them toward answers. The approach on Twitter is perfect: See someone ask about bible software, RT it and the rest of us will chime in. Create channels of interest to help people without twisting their arms into a sale. Exactly like with ref.ly, and a thousand other things. Sorry, I'm just repeating Seth Godin at this point, but I think he's right. Be good at what you do (check), help others solve problems (check), make yourself available to answer questions (check), contribute to the larger community but not only in a self-serving way (check). It's a big part of what made me tentatively trust Logos to start with as one of those "more people" myself.
Ran into an announcement in an Evangelical Bible Book store that said a Catholic version was coming. Liked the credentials of the developers. Waited. Waited. Waited. Waited some more. Found Catholic references were a kluge. Quit using the product. Time passes. Retire. Decide that some software is needed as a respository of information from web-based Bible study. Compare products. Decide Logos is moving in the correct direction to remain a major-player. Compare features. Decide that Logos provides major chunks of what I need for a reasonable price. Buy local - well, at least in the same quadrant of the state. Become thorn in side of Logos pushing for features that will support the 79% of the Christians world wide that use lectionaries. Become thorn in side of users pushing out timelines, creedal statements (PBB's) and otherwise rocking the status quo. Am given an appropriate logo for Logos forum ... in exchange, I am behaving myself until the end of the year. New year's resolution: be thorn in side of Logos pushing for features of particular use to the Jewish contingent,
Am given an appropriate logo for Logos forum ...
OK, I'll bite. What is it? Mother Theresa or a bag lady? [6]
Am given an appropriate logo for Logos forum ... OK, I'll bite. What is it? Mother Theresa or a bag lady?
OK, I'll bite. What is it? Mother Theresa or a bag lady?
An "old lady lurking in the shadows" is how Martha described herself - this was the closest I could come to that...
Original image here: http://community.logos.com/forums/p/3802/29686.aspx#29686
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