Having used WORDsearch in its various incarnation (now at version 8) I thought that I would try out Logos to see what the differences were.
I wish I hadn't bothered.
I cannot say how disappointed I am.
It just does not live up to the expectations which were raised when I
browsed the web site.
I purchased the Bible Study Library (LE) version
and was absolutely AMAZED at the size of the download files - almost 6 G
bytes ! And there was no warning on the web site about this size. Good
job I have a cable connection or I would still be downloading at Christmas !
Once the installation finished the program ran.
What a surprise. Not a Windows GUI, not a Mac GUI, but an odd mixture of
both. Uggghhhhh ! It looks as if various programmers had been working
quite independently of each other and then their work has been cobbled together.
I really did expect something a bit better and "finished" and
professional than that.
And so to actually using the program - well actually it is after about 20 seconds delay that the program actually displays the opening page.
Great. There is a link on the home page to the Lectionary. Oh no ! It
insists on opening the Catholic Lectionary, and I can't find any way to
get it to display the Revised Common Lectionary when the link is clicked.
In fact, apart from being able to add icons to the shortcuts bar (and
they are not very informative) there doesn't seem to be much in the way
of actual customization I can use, even using the tools menu.
Well, surely opening and closing windows will be quick - after all I do
have a high spec desktop PC with lots of memory and disk space. Well, no. Thinks - has the
program crashed on me, for there is a considerable delay both in opening
and closing windows.
Try a search, which on the web site is said to be lightening fast. Well,
no. A new window opens, lots of activity, the scroll bar moving about is
intensely annoying. And when things finally settle down it takes for ever
to actually scroll down and use the results. And when I select an entry
I have no control over where the reference etc opens.
And those stupid pop ups ! Good gracious. They appear everywhere. That
really is an annoying overkill.
Try double clicking a name or word. Nothing happens - er, oh I see, the
famous delay. Yes, there's the result.
OK. So I have a Bible open at a passage, say one of the Lectionary
passages for this weekend. Try a passage guide. It displays with the
reference, but then I have to click the arrow icon to get it to do anything.
Now go and get a cup of coffee while it chunters through a search
routine. Ah, that's better, nothing like a refreshing break - well, actually quite a long break. Has it finished yet ? Yippee ! Let's try one
of the references displayed, say a handout for congregational use. What
? A new window ? And why such a delay ?
I think you get my message. The program is so full of inconsistencies
and delays that to work with it becomes more and more frustrating.
I am seriously thinking of kicking it into touch and returning to my trusty WORDsearch program.
