Logos 8. Day 3

3rd'ed :-) I think as well as the software itself being faster, the user interface seems more efficient as well. A couple less clicks to do things etc. I love the indexing speed now. Before my computer would spend ages indexing but now it seems to be done in a few minutes. 

I agree that some UI functions from L7 need to be restored!

For example, it used to be that when new resources were added to my library, there was a drop-down list showing what they were at the top of the home page.

I can't find that feature anywhere in L8. I need that handy feature. I use it to add specific titles to my Layouts to make it easier for me to go back to read them.

If this feature is still there, I hope some kind soul can point me to it.

Jerome Smith said:

I agree that some UI functions from L7 need to be restored!

For example, it used to be that when new resources were added to my library, there was a drop-down list showing what they were at the top of the home page.

I can't find that feature anywhere in L8. I need that handy feature. I use it to add specific titles to my Layouts to make it easier for me to go back to read them.

If this feature is still there, I hope some kind soul can point me to it.

1. Open your library.
2. Open the sidebar on the left in the library window
3. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the sidebar

Once there, you'll see a variety of entries regarding resources updated and added.

Rick Ausdahl said:

Jerome Smith said:

I agree that some UI functions from L7 need to be restored!

For example, it used to be that when new resources were added to my library, there was a drop-down list showing what they were at the top of the home page.

I can't find that feature anywhere in L8. I need that handy feature. I use it to add specific titles to my Layouts to make it easier for me to go back to read them.

If this feature is still there, I hope some kind soul can point me to it.

For info regarding library updates/additions do the following.

1. Open your library.
2. Open the sidebar on the left in the library window
3. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the sidebar

Once there, you'll see a variety of entries regarding resources updated and added.

Thank you, Rick. Your directions almost solve the issue for me. I would like to see the former feature retained to let me know that something has been added.

Too bad the "added" feature cannot optionally be placed at the top of the list.

Don Awalt said:

And this is exactly the point, Logos 8 was advertised to make everyday tasks simpler and it does in many ways, HOWEVER compare all this posted here to find the new resources to just clicking the dropdown on the Home page in Logos 7. What was once trivial is now tedious.

Agreed, for me its Day 5 and there's no doubt that I have wasted a lot of time because of the missing or changed. As a Connect Essentials user I received 8 as an "update" rather than an "upgrade". I really do wish that more detail had been provided about what was missing before the update was delivered. With a bit more information I would have waited for 8.1 or an even later version. 

I did consider going back to 7 but with no official statement on whether this was possible decided that was probably too risky and at least I have workable, if somewhat clumsy, solutions for the items that have impacted me most.

Josh Hunt said:

I purchased Logos 8 a couple of days ago, and I must say I like it. I have had not trouble with crashes or hangs. 

I use Logos all day, every day. However, I don't use most of the features. I mostly do searches and commentary work. 

The stand out feature is that is is snappier. This is the Logos I have been looking for. The upgrade is fairly inexpensive. I'd encourage you to take the plunge.

Josh, I agree fully with you. "Snappier" is a great word to describe it. Like you, I use the program every single day, but don't always dive deep into all of the features.  I feel that there are so many features that I forget to use some of them. For instance, I do exegesis all the time, but until I looked at the "guides" section of Logos 8 I had not opened an Exegetical Guide in many months. I was reminded of how useful that guide can be.

doc said:

Thank you Graham for saying that as Connect users we had not choice about moving to Logos 8.

Being strictly honest Doc, we do have a choice because we can turn off the auto updates.

Since 3 became 4 I have been pretty relaxed about the upgrades and had not realised the extent of the changes they were planning for 8. If I had realised I would probably have turned off the auto update and waited. While 7 to 8 is not as bad as 3 to 4 was I do see a lot of parallels especially around the level of communication.

The responses of the Beta Testers here makes it quite clear that many of the issues were know before the launch so why not send a detailed "known issues" document along with the email about notes, its not hard:

Issue: Set preferred Bible missing from Home Page

Action: Use Resource Prioritisation in the Library to Prioritise/Update your preference

Plan: This feature is not scheduled for reinstatement

Issue: Open Reading Plan from Home Page closes current layout and opens default layout "Bible Reading Plan"

Action: Open Reading Plan from the Reading Plan Document

Plan: A use current layout for reading plan switch will be included in a future release

This version is of course fictional and a real one would need some more detail but I think it demonstrates how easy it could have been to provide that level of feedback to loyal paying customers to help us plan for the upgrade,

Overall I agree the desktop app is more responsive and the UI has a much improved look and feel with the exception of touch support for windows.

With some features being reworked and not available again until a future release the initial L8 release may have been a bit premature.  Other than that I'm happy with L8.

One area where FL could greatly improve in my opinion with the next major update is in its communication of functional changes between versions.  It wasn't immediately clear how to perform certain functions in L8 that we could do in L7.

Graham Owen said:

I really do wish that more detail had been provided about what was missing before the update was delivered.

doc said:

I was also told all the changes were fully explained before the software was released so thank you for confirming my experiences this is not the case and that FL once again failed to communicate well.

These issues could have been alleviated with a FAQ for functional changes between versions.  See: https://community.logos.com/forums/p/173819/1008639.aspx#1008639

Thank you FL for your continuing efforts to improve our bible study experience.

Reuben i am a connect subscriber and never receive emails from FL including connect  despite having selected to receive them in my preferences. And they are not in my spam folder.

i have asked a number of staff at FL to look into it for me and none of them have ever come back to me with an update. So just because FL sends emails doesn’t mean ever user is actually receiving them and being kept up to date. 

If FL actually started sending me emails it would be a good first step by them to getting me to change my poor experience of their communication.

Reuben Helmuth said:

Graham Owen said:

I really do wish that more detail had been provided about what was missing before the update was delivered.

Did you automatically get updated or did you choose the "free purchase" in order to update? My understanding was that the automatic update wouldn't happen until the 5th (next Monday) to allow Connect subscribers more time to evaluate and understand things before forcing the update. Am I mistaken? Here's a screenshot of an email I received as a Connect subscriber.