Why has my Logos home screen turning into a huge billboard to sell more stuff. It has become less and less Bible and more and more marketing of STUFF I do not need. CEASE, Please
Welcome to the Logos forums, David.
You can turn off all the marketing parts of your home page, and even bypass the homepage altogether when you start up Logos.
To turn off the marketing sections, click the gear icon near the lower left of the home page, and turn off the checkboxes next to: Faithlife Blog, Logos Blog, Logos Community Pricing, Logos Pre-pubs, My Logos Messages, Proclaim Blog, Vyrso Voice. You might still be interested in Devotionals, Excerpts (which help you become familiar with what's in your library by showing you a different random excerpt every day), Release Notes, and Updated Resources (just lets you know what resource files have changed if you've received an update you're wondering about).
To bypass the Home Page altogether, go to Tools > Program Settings, and change "At Startup Open to" from "Home" to something else, either "Blank layout" or more likely "Most recent layout - local" (you might choose "Most recent layout - any" if you use multiple machines and want to sync your layout to the latest one you used on any of your machines) or a specific layout from your list of saved layouts.
True; those are the ways to stop from seeing it on our homepages. BUT, it still does not answer the question, as to why our Bibles have become cluttered with ads. I'm trying to imagine going to a bookstore, buying a hard copy Bible, and seeing all kinds of ads in it. THAT is what Logos has come down to. In my not so humble opinion.
I'm trying to imagine going to a bookstore, buying a hard copy Bible, and seeing all kinds of ads in it.
Yeah, but you're likely to see ads in the bookstore (posters advertising newly released titles, etc.) and they'll probably ask if you want to sign up for their mailing list (if they're an opt-in kind of store, or they might just send you their newsletter which is likely to be full of ads, even without asking you). And the publishers of those Bibles put advertisements in the magazines you read, so you're going to see them all over the place. Since Logos deals with digital content predominantly, the only way they can reach customers with ads is through the delivery mechanism for that digital content. The Logos software isn't your Bible. It's like the bookstore you bought the Bible at and the magazines you read for inspiring articles about living the Christian life or interpreting your Bible. If you look in the Bible text window itself in Logos, you will find there are no ads in it.
So yes, bemoan the fact that Logos is ramping up their advertising effort. But it's how companies do business and they all do it. Just avert your eyes like we all do by not reading every ad in every magazine we pick up. The equivalent to that in Logos is to turn off the ad streams in your software.
True; those are the ways to stop from seeing it on our homepages. BUT, it still does not answer the question, as to why our Bibles have become cluttered with ads.
Where are you seeing a Bible cluttered with ads? The Home Page has ads, blogs, etc., but they are not in our Bibles. If you've got that, something is very, very wrong.
I actually don't mind the ads because I appreciate hearing what's on sale. Also I like the option to control what I receive.
Personally I don't let Logos start to the home page so I don't see any ads unless I choose to.
I personally like getting the notices about what the new offerings are. It's one of the main things I use the homepage for. The thing is customizable. But, yeah, like Graham, I don't start on the homepage, I click over to it when I want to see what's there.
Thanks! Its helpful to me to eliminate some of the noise.
I can appreaciate the analogy of Logos being like walking into a book store and seeing all the advertisements. But, I see it differently: If I am shopping for a book or a Bible...sure I expect to see all the marketting. But, in general when I open up Logos, I am there to study/research. If I'm studying using physical books, I do not have all the distractions. But in Logos...there it is...its too "in your face". But, now that I can turn it off...
What would be helpful is to have a separate item I can check/uncheck to provide me with helps of how to better use Logos WITHOUT turning on all the marketing again. It seems the helps are interspersed with marketing.
David can you give a screen shot.
But, in general when I open up Logos, I am there to study/research. If I'm studying using physical books, I do not have all the distractions. But in Logos...there it is...its too "in your face". But, now that I can turn it off...
My wife has her Logos set up to skip the homepage alltogether. She does not like the ads. I have my Logos set up to start with the homepage. My favorite feature is discovering books in my library that I have forgotten about or was never aware of. I am happy we can choose either way or anywhere in between.
You can use the Help menu (click on the question mark icon in the upper right corner) to get to all those helps, and you won't be bombarded with any marketing.
These are precisely the same four help links that are shown in the Home Page intermingled with all the other stuff you don't want to see.
So you don't need to get at them from the Home Page. Just use the Help menu and you'll be all set.
Rosie, you ARE kidding, right? You do understand that there is a huge difference here, dont you? When I go to a bookstore, be it secular or a religious, I can go home, without opening the book, and being bombarded by ads from that bookstore. Sure, there may be flyers in the bag, but, not in the book itself. Yet. And, not from the bookstore.
Didn't Jesus beat the merchants at the temple with the whip, overturning their tables for disgracing his Father's home, because they turned it into a marketplace? Do you think Jesus would be any less ticked off by what is going on today?
Richard,
When I open Logos, I AM opening my Bible. To me, opening the Home Page and seeing ads is akin to opening my print Bible, and seeing ads in the front of the Bible. Logos has made it very clear they are a business first, and about Bibles second. Yeah, I DO have a problem with that mentality. But, that is me. I am not judge of the matter, God is.
Richard, When I open Logos, I AM opening my Bible. To me, opening the Home Page and seeing ads is akin to opening my print Bible, and seeing ads in the front of the Bible.
When I open Logos, I AM opening my Bible. To me, opening the Home Page and seeing ads is akin to opening my print Bible, and seeing ads in the front of the Bible.
I understand what you're saying. When I open Logos, I open my Bible study environment. I have Bibles in that study environment. Just a different way of thinking, I guess.
BTW, I don't open to my home page, so I don't usually see them anyway. (I open to my "Most recent layout - local.")
BTW, I don't open to my home page, so I don't usually see them anyway.
+1
Rosie, you ARE kidding, right?
No, actually, I am not kidding.
I, like others, never see the home page, because we go directly into our study environment. Turning off the home page (which we keep trying to explain to you to do, but you keep ignoring that advice) is like tossing out the flyers from the bag when you get home from the Christian bookstore. Just do it and stop complaining about the "flyers."
Yes, Logos is a business. It has to be a business in order to be able to keep making software and making it available to people. It is not a voluntary ministry/service that people do in their spare time. All the employees have families to feed and rent to pay; writing software, tagging books, and such, is their livelihood. The worker deserves his pay. (Lk 10:7; 1 Tim 5:18)
Maybe you think Logos is like the slick TV evangelists sucking gullible believers out of their hard earned money. But if that's the case, and you feel you've been had, then cut your losses and get away now.
I happen to know that Logos is a business whose mission statement is "to serve the church" with "first-class products" namely "electronic tools and resources for multilingual Bible study." It runs like a business, not like a non-profit organization (which requires donations to survive). Thus it needs to make its own money somehow. Thus it needs to market its products.
The disgrace in the temple was people who were there just to make money off the worshipers. They were not part of the priesthood or those who were necessary for the functioning of the temple system (those latter people were provided for by the tithes). The merchants were greedy opportunists. You can't pull thoses verses (Lk 19:45-46) out of conext to discredit any and all business that has any relation to holy things. Business is a calling and can bring glory to God. See also https://www.logos.com/product/2821/business-for-the-glory-of-god-the-bibles-teaching-on-the-moral-goodness-of-business
Agreed
While I don't post much I continue to be fascinated with the notion that Logos is, is this Incarnation, a "holy" business charged to serve the Church through a calling from God. What a great marketing gimmick this would be. This sacred business extends to high priced public domain products, weekend retreats, endless e-mails/flyers, push software, open ended use databases, and numerous other righteous activities to help me use my money through missionary activities at Logos. Perhaps God does work in strange and mysterious ways.
Peace, Rosie! *smile* Thanks for mentioning the Logos' Mission Statement ...
For what it's worth I did look it up and am sharing it here since that's what we've been talking about:
Our goal is to be the worldwide leader in electronic tools and resources for multilingual Bible study.
Our mission is to serve the church.
We believe that Bible study should be at the heart of the Christian life. It's our privilege to equip pastors, students, missionaries, teachers, and the church at large with tools that make Bible study easier and more accessible. It's our responsibility to ensure that the investment in technology we can afford to make, because we serve the western church, pays dividends for the whole world.
Our hope is that as you learn more about Logos Bible Software you'll see it not only as the best Bible study tool anywhere, but also as a way to make Bible study resources more accessible to the church in developing countries.
All of us here at Logos want to provide you with first-class products and service. If we fail to exceed your expectations, please contact me so we can make it right.
Bob Pritchett President/CEO
I didn't say Logos is a "holy" business or a "sacred" business. It is an ordinary business, which, like any business, cares about making a profit (it has to or it would die). But it comes into contact with holy things -- the Scriptures. Because of that, you people expect them to be above doing the ordinary things that other businesses do to stay in business (namely marketing). But they aren't above those things. They aren't a ministry. They do not exist in some sacred zone where God will make everything work out for them without them doing any of the things that secular businesses do. They are a business. Which means they do business. OK?
So they are both a sacred zone of the holy and a marketing oriented business living off the profits of its customers. Sort of making money for Jesus using the free market I suppose. The same arguments can be made for Christian Counselors, Christian Plumbers, and Christian Bankers...you know using religion to promote their business endeavors. The beauty of such arguments is that any opposition to a product or marketing strategy can be easily answered by noting that they are a business (if challenged on religious grounds) or they are a "holy" calling from God (if challenged on business grounds). Quite literally there is never a point where criticism is valid since every objection can be switched to the other aspect of their business life. None of which has anything to do with the faith stance of Logos management or its employees as far as I can tell.
However you look at it, they provide a service that many people like. If individuals ever decide they don't like it they should stop purchasing from them. If one chooses not to look at the ads they can be turned off as others have already explained. This seems simple enough.
In the first place, as a business, Logos should at least try to meet good customer practices. After a few years of trying, then maybe they can add on Christian behaviors.
But saying to write off thousands of dollars since Logos marketing is so messed up is no answer.
Richard, When I open Logos, I AM opening my Bible. To me, opening the Home Page and seeing ads is akin to opening my print Bible, and seeing ads in the front of the Bible. I understand what you're saying. When I open Logos, I open my Bible study environment. I have Bibles in that study environment. Just a different way of thinking, I guess. BTW, I don't open to my home page, so I don't usually see them anyway. (I open to my "Most recent layout - local.")
I understand Logos is a business. And, no, I do not have a problem with that. I do have an issue when being in business with the very words of God are primary to the very words of God. I do not begrudge anyone anything when it comes to earning money for the work they do. And, trust me, I do understand there is a huge amount of work that goes into transferring print books into digital format. Then, the tremendous task of getting all these books to come together. Then, for the most part, the top notch tech support. I get all that. It's a tremendous undertaking, one that deserves a lot of credit and recognition. In that sense, there is no amount of money that could pay what the value of a Logos system is worth. Especially when we consider this is an invaluable tool to help ministers, professors, and everyday people discover all sorts of things they would never be capable of otherwise finding. Again, I get that. And, it's awesome. There are plenty of people who don't get it, who think that everything about the Bible should be free. Including Logos. And, there are plenty of cheaper and even free software that may compare to Logos. They can use that software. Yet, at the very same time, we are not dealing with just any product or service. We are dealing with God's word. And while I don't see anything wrong with pastors that God has blessed with high salaries, and companies God has blessed with major sales, when our focus is on the business side of things, or that is the primary focus, that I believe is problematic. Anyone can create a business that does what Logos does. But, if that business is not focused correctly, ie, God being the primary focus, the business second, is that acceptable in God's eyes? Now, as Paul says, at least the Gospel is being preached. But, is that what they want? To be known as a company, based on delivering God's word, as "at least the Gospel is being preached"? Have a business. Make money. But, keep God the primary. No?
I ignore bypassing the homepage, because I do like it. Even though I have ads "declicked", I still get some. Isnt this why they have our emails? To send us our ads? And, for those who want ads on their Home Page, cant we see something more customizable? Something like, "Send marketing to my email___ Home Page___ Both____ Neither____? Now THAT seems like a compromise everyone could live with. Those who want the marketing emailed (like me) can. Those who would rather keep their email boxes as free of clutter as possible, can. Those who want both, can. And, those who absolutely want none, can. And, rather than having to go back and do it, it should be explained early on, so they can have those options, and understand what they are asking for. And, of course, the option to change their mind, because maybe later they say, "I never check my email, but, I check my homepage", or, "I'd rather not have this on my homepage" or whatever.
But, first, the primary purpose of this and ANY Christian organization should be God. Then, let God add all these other things. Am I wrong?
Rosie, you ARE kidding, right? No, actually, I am not kidding. I, like others, never see the home page, because we go directly into our study environment. Turning off the home page (which we keep trying to explain to you to do, but you keep ignoring that advice) is like tossing out the flyers from the bag when you get home from the Christian bookstore. Just do it and stop complaining about the "flyers." Yes, Logos is a business. It has to be a business in order to be able to keep making software and making it available to people. It is not a voluntary ministry/service that people do in their spare time. All the employees have families to feed and rent to pay; writing software, tagging books, and such, is their livelihood. The worker deserves his pay. (Lk 10:7; 1 Tim 5:18) Maybe you think Logos is like the slick TV evangelists sucking gullible believers out of their hard earned money. But if that's the case, and you feel you've been had, then cut your losses and get away now. I happen to know that Logos is a business whose mission statement is "to serve the church" with "first-class products" namely "electronic tools and resources for multilingual Bible study." It runs like a business, not like a non-profit organization (which requires donations to survive). Thus it needs to make its own money somehow. Thus it needs to market its products. The disgrace in the temple was people who were there just to make money off the worshipers. They were not part of the priesthood or those who were necessary for the functioning of the temple system (those latter people were provided for by the tithes). The merchants were greedy opportunists. You can't pull thoses verses (Lk 19:45-46) out of conext to discredit any and all business that has any relation to holy things. Business is a calling and can bring glory to God. See also https://www.logos.com/product/2821/business-for-the-glory-of-god-the-bibles-teaching-on-the-moral-goodness-of-business
That sounds an awful lot like the same criticism Hollywood gives to the Church, when the Church argues against sex, strong language, and violence in TV, movies and video games. Remember NYPD Blue? Churches boycotted it. The world's response? "If they don't like it, don't watch it". The problem is, people liked the gritty reality depicted in the show. They just didn't want to have to see all the sex, or hear all the language. Why can't they make shows realistic, without all the extras?
You see, people like myself understand Logos is a business. I have no problem with that. I wish them much success. However, I do find it, at the very least, somewhat offensive that Logos wants to make it's primary goal a business, and the object of making the money, it's secondary goal. Have a God based business, but, make God the primary reason you are in the business, and do the business as God would. Now, here is where I have to judge my own self. IF they are indeed doing that, then, who cares what I have to say, because at the end of the day, they are doing exactly what God has said to do. However, based on what I have read, and communications I have had, I keep finding myself at this same place. Should I be bothered by it? Nope. It's not my problem. But, just about every time I come to the forums to find some answers, I find myself seeing the same thing being said. I wonder why that is? Sure, it can be people having an unrealistic expectation. But, it can also be a problem at the core of the company's purpose. Or, somewhere in between.
As I stated in my previous post, I dont see why it is up to US to have to opt out. Even in the world, people ask "Why do people have to opt out. Why cant they opt in?" So, my suggestion, as far as ads go, is that it be explained what they are selecting, and when they make their initial purchase, they opt in for marketing to be sent to their email, Home Page, both or neither. Problem solved. Well, for the most part. One company had the fascinating concept of asking how much email they wanted. Let's face it. There are people who want to know every item on sale. Even if it's not a sale. Great. For them. Then there's people who dont care if Logos is giving away Platinum packages for free. Then, there are those, like myself, who like to know the basics, and if I want to see all sale items, I can.
There's no pleasing everyone. I get that. But, can't Logos get it's priorities in order?
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