Which base package do you recommend?
I am a pastor who has never had logos but am ready to purchase a base package. My problem is that I don't know anyone personally who has used this product so I have no recommendations on which base package to start with. I am willing to purchase any package from gold all the way to portfolio but I want to hear from some people who actually use these packages before I buy.
So what package did you purchase?
Would you prefer another base package? Why?
SO please help forum! Can you give some recommendations?
thanks!
Comments
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Grant,
I have Logos 5 Portfolio with Verbum Capstone, Reformed Diamond, Lutheran Gold, Anglican Diamond and the Orthodox Library Builder and thousands of add on resources. I prefer the package I currently have. Your question is different for different people as every Logos user is their own unique person with different backgrounds. Therfore, I would reccomend you get the highest base package in your denominational background that you can afford, then supplement resources for your interests. I personally use the software for academic studies, sermon prep, theological issues, biblical language study, apologetics, homeschooling and my own reading enjoyment. Logos has the best customer service and you will not find better software. I wish you success in whatever package you decide.
In Christ,
Matt Hamrick0 -
I bought a portfolio. That was before the denominational packages existed.
For me reasons to buy this was in the first place the enormous value for the money, I have a broad interest that fits portfolio because it has something on everything. I am still student en my logos library is usefull for everything from pratical theology to historical, systematics and biblical studies.
Plus I have a special preference for Old testament en primary resources and portfolio is very strong on that.
My advice would be to start by considering a base package fitting your denominational background. Especially reformed and anglican Daimond are extremely worthful packages. If you are really looking for a general (evangelical) package. Ask yourself questions like: do I use a lot of original languages for my study? Is there a certain commentary that I love. For quite some people just asking themselves what resources they really want was enough for a package. When you would buy Gold plus resources you want until the cost equals portfolio, you might end up with a better package thn when you buy portfolio in the first place
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Welcome to the forums!
You may want to take a look at Mark Barnes' Buyer's Guide.
Then post any questions or specific goals you want to address with Logos here along with the price range you're looking at.
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Matt Hamrick said:
I have Logos 5 Portfolio with Verbum Capstone, Reformed Diamond, Lutheran Gold, Anglican Diamond and the Orthodox Library Builder and thousands of add on resources
Matt, I think there are self-help groups that you should see.[:P]
Remember, the first step to getting well is to admit you have a problem.
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Kent said:Matt Hamrick said:
I have Logos 5 Portfolio with Verbum Capstone, Reformed Diamond, Lutheran Gold, Anglican Diamond and the Orthodox Library Builder and thousands of add on resources
Matt, I think there are self-help groups that you should see.
Remember, the first step to getting well is to admit you have a problem.
The guy is a lightweight, he does not even have the SDA package!
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Grant, welcome.
I, too am a pastor and have been using Logos for years. It is a great time saver and allows you to do things that you wouldn't otherwise be able or find time to do manually.
Logos works best when it has a lot of good reference material to work with. However Logos' base packages are not as strong as they were a few years ago, with many strong commentary sets now available only as additional purchases, I would suggest you go no higher than the Gold package and save money to buy commentaries, lexicons, and dictionaries to add on. The good news is that some of the resources that you might like go on sale every now and then so if you can save up (or are willing to make payments for them) you can get them for less than normal prices.
I am a conservative evangelical, not in seminary, and primarily use Logos for preparing for Bible study and sermon preparation and find that Portfolio and Diamond simply don't interest me. I chose to spend the money on what I wanted, not what Logos wanted to throw together. I own the Platinum package but that is primarily because I bought the older Platinum package a few years ago. It is a much weaker offering now than then which is why I say stop at Gold.
If you have some specific interests or questions, please ask back.
Pastor, North Park Baptist Church
Bridgeport, CT USA
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Kent said:Matt Hamrick said:
I have Logos 5 Portfolio with Verbum Capstone, Reformed Diamond, Lutheran Gold, Anglican Diamond and the Orthodox Library Builder and thousands of add on resources
Matt, I think there are self-help groups that you should see.
Remember, the first step to getting well is to admit you have a problem.
Kent
I have all kinds of problems and thanks be to our Lord Jesus for lifting them from me.
Matt
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Mike Pettit said:Matt Hamrick said:
I have Logos 5 Portfolio with Verbum Capstone, Reformed Diamond, Lutheran Gold, Anglican Diamond and the Orthodox Library Builder and thousands of add on resources
Matt, I think there are self-help groups that you should see.
Remember, the first step to getting well is to admit you have a problem.
The guy is a lightweight, he does not even have the SDA package!
Mike, that is intentional and I am a lightweight, but that is no reason to lower my standards with SDA material.
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Matt Hamrick said:
Mike, that is intentional and I am a lightweight, but that is no reason to lower my standards with SDA material.
Matt, You are no lightweight. I have all the same base packages you have listed and I believe you answered the original poster very well. If your usage and interests are that wide and varied, it makes sense to have a large library.
As for the SDA Silver base package; I will be adding that too. My interests are very wide. My standards are that the resources accurately represent their own perspectives. I don't have to agree with everyone to appreciate their resources.
Logos 7 Collectors Edition
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Mark Smith said:
However Logos' base packages are not as strong as they were a few years ago...
I totally agree with Mark! I went ahead and added Platinum because of BDAG and other resources of interest (Preaching the Word Series and Lenski) which were cheaper to get them that way, than purchasing them separately. But you can stop at Gold and then you could add Nelson's Reference Bundle along with any other commentary or lexicon or resource that you wish. I have also added other Base Packages from different denominations as those were cheap for me with "Dynamic Pricing" (Reformed Silver, Anglican Silver, SDA Silver, Lutheran Starter and the largest Spanish Base Package available up to date).
I do wish Logos put together some base packages with quality works like they used to, but ever since the L4 LE ordeal with Baker pulling their most important commentaries and reference works, we've pretty much seen a decline in good academic works being offered in Logos base packages.
By the way, if you purchase a Logos Base Package make sure you talk to your sales representative about the "special prices" on topical bundles and other resources that can be sold at cheap prices. I was able to snatch Boice's Expositional Commentaries cheaper than the current offer going on right now. I was also able to add Tyndale Commentaries, Nelson's Reference Bundle, The Bible Speaks Today NT Commentaries, Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary and other resources at a much cheaper price just for purchasing Logos. The topical bundles are there, but the other resources you have to inquire about them to get them when you're purchasing a base package or upgrading to another base package.
Blessings!
DAL
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This questions gets asked quite often. I always say buy what you are going to use. I purchased the original language package in L3, and I have added many many many books since then. While my cost per book is much higher than most, my overall cost is much less than if I would have gone with gold (they did not have portfolio when I started using Logos).Grant Nixon said:I am a pastor who has never had logos but am ready to purchase a base package. My problem is that I don't know anyone personally who has used this product so I have no recommendations on which base package to start with. I am willing to purchase any package from gold all the way to portfolio but I want to hear from some people who actually use these packages before I buy.
So what package did you purchase?
Would you prefer another base package? Why?
SO please help forum! Can you give some recommendations?
thanks!
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Grant Nixon said:
I am willing to purchase any package from gold all the way to portfolio but I want to hear from some people who actually use these packages before I buy.
Praise God that you have such a large budget to work with! Choose well. There's already been a lot of excellent advice given above.
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I started at Silver several years back and then updated to Diamond when Logos 5 came out. Portfolio has some good stuff, but nothing that I really needed to have. Since then I have added several pre-pub and community price resources, as well as Reformed Gold and Anglican Bronze. With that said, Silver was a great start for me at the time. But I also knew that I would continue to build my library over time.
For book reviews and more visit sojotheo.com
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You might work backwards in your calculations. What reference works do you want that are NOT included in any base pkg? I would suggest at least 2 of the top commentary sets, IVP dictionaries, a major multivolume dictionary set, What other essentials do you want that would help your ministry?
After you have selected and budgeted those extras (which you may be able to get special pricing on when you place your base pkg order), go for the largest base pkg you can afford that addresses your needs. I would suggest looking at Silver or higher.
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I just posted the first part of a review on the resources in Logos 5 Lutheran Gold. I do offer some comparisons to the standard Gold as well as to other level Lutheran libraries.
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Whatever base package you get, budget in the IVP Reference collection. https://www.logos.com/product/8588/the-essential-ivp-reference-collection-version-3
You will find you use these books much more than most of the stuff in the base packages.
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Keith Larson said:
Whatever base package you get, budget in the IVP Reference collection. https://www.logos.com/product/8588/the-essential-ivp-reference-collection-version-3
You will find you use these books much more than most of the stuff in the base packages.
That is the most highly recommended extra from many Logos users.
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Grant
I agree with Mark Smith's suggestion about looking at one of the Gold options as a start point and then thinking about what you want to add. If Platinum or Portfolio then becomes the best way of getting the extra you want then it would make sense to purchase one of those if not get the materials that you want so that your library has what you need/want.
I have Portfolio, been on a near 20 year journey of upgrades, and like Mark this is built on the older packages so includes material that are not in the current packages. Mark's observation that the bigger packages may have materials that you do not need is a fair one although I would say that I do sometimes find myself reading a resource that I probably would not have bought and it proves useful. That's one of the great side effects of a big library and the Logos search engine.
God Bless
Graham
Pastor - NTCOG Basingstoke
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Grant,
I too am a pastor and am continuing my education. I originally purchased the silver package but discovered that the platinum is required to receive the benefit of all the functions offered by Logos. One reason I proceeded to purchase the platinum is due to the 50% discount offered to students who are enrolled in partnering colleges and seminaries. The silver was a great starting point, but I am very content with the platinum package. Either way you won't go wrong and will find the software extremely beneficial to your studies.
Truman
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Budget for extras is my advice.
The base packages are very good value and I've bought a few inc. Platinum, Biblical Languages, and Anglican Bronze but...
I found that there were things I really needed which were not included so I also bought the SESB bundle, the IVP Reference Bundle, Various Lexicons and lots of individual books too.
Hope that is helpful?
John
גַּם־חֹשֶׁךְ֮ לֹֽא־יַחְשִׁ֪יךְ מִ֫מֶּ֥ךָ וְ֭לַיְלָה כַּיּ֣וֹם יָאִ֑יר כַּ֝חֲשֵׁיכָ֗ה כָּאוֹרָֽה
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