Faithlife Assistant will be going away on May 31

Faithlife Assistant will be decommissioned on May 31.

For those who have never used it, it was launched in 2017 to provide a simple way for users to "chat" with the software and get the answers they need. It's never quite fulfilled the vision we had for it, and usage is very low. It was ahead of its time in 2017, but ChatGPT has changed everyone's expectations of what a chatbot ought to be able to do, and Faithlife Assistant can no longer meet those expectations.

So, on May 31 Faithlife Assistant will stop returning answers, and then in v26, due to be released at the end of June, it will be removed from the software.

We know that there's still a real need to be able to ask Logos a question and get a good answer in return. Behind the scenes, we're working hard on a much better solution to that - but that solution won't be Faithlife Assistant (and for those wondering, it won't be ChatGPT, either).

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Comments

MJ. Smith

Glad to know you're working on a replacement. Although I rarely use it, I am a fan of Faithlife Assistant ... a real rarity.

Dave Hooton

Faithlife Assistant will be decommissioned on May 31.

It was never a challenger to the Command Box for my use, but it was capable of some sophistication if one could live with that.

I'm glad it will not suffer the prolonged death of the Handout tool.

Robert M. Warren

I'm not a big fan of summary execution. Remember that ugly flannel shirt that you threw out one Spring, and then wondered where it was the next really cold Winter day ... and realized it really wasn't taking up that much space?

🎵 Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone? 🎵

xnman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256659#Comment_1256659

seems to me, that when I ask a question ... then it pops up Factbook. If there is a replacement.... Please leave Factbook out of the equation....

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256713#Comment_1256713

.. Please leave Factbook out of the equation....

Please don't, as for many questions Factbook is the only source of the information within Logos.

Kiyah

It was ahead of its time in 2017, but ChatGPT has changed everyone's expectations of what a chatbot ought to be able to do, and Faithlife Assistant can no longer meet those expectations.

I actually expected it to work more like Google Assistant but it didn't, which for me made it feel behind its time. Glad you're working on something better.

JBR

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256736#Comment_1256736

.. Please leave Factbook out of the equation....

Please don't as for many questions, Factbook is the only source of the information within Logos.

I agree with MJ in this one.

Dave Hooton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256659#Comment_1256659

I'm not a big fan of summary execution.

Its usefulness had been under discussion way before Logos 10.0 last year and I'm surprised it got that far!

Robert M. Warren

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256783#Comment_1256783

Its usefulness had been under discussion way before Logos 10.0 last year

Yes, but if the point of the discussion was to gauge user opinion on the fate of the tool, that thread doesn't make a case for removal.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256826#Comment_1256826

Yes, but if the point of the discussion was to gauge user opinion on the fate of the tool, that thread doesn't make a case for removal.

In my mind, the thread does make a case for redevelopment rather than removal of the function; however, it makes sense to not waste resources maintaining the current code if (and only if) a replacement is on the horizon.

xnman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256736#Comment_1256736

.. Please leave Factbook out of the equation....

Please don't, as for many questions Factbook is the only source of the information within Logos.

Then definitely allow us users that find Factbook to be a nuisance, allow us to turn Factbook off!

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256852#Comment_1256852

Then definitely allow us users that find Factbook to be a nuisance, allow us to turn Factbook off!

Don't ask questions that require it. [;)] All of us have features that we never use. For me, it is propositional outlines against which i have a strong hermeneutical objection, discourse analysis which I believe can be useful but I simply get the information through other tools . . .

abondservant

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256852#Comment_1256852

.. Please leave Factbook out of the equation....

Please don't, as for many questions Factbook is the only source of the information within Logos.

Then definitely allow us users that find Factbook to be a nuisance, allow us to turn Factbook off!

I rather like factbook. I don't understand your dislike.

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256856#Comment_1256856

I rather like factbook. I don't understand your dislike.

I agree with xnman ... option to turn-it-off. Just the fact that you can't turn it off, should be a clue. It's a forced intrusion of FL's theological (yes, theological) perspective into ones Bible study.

Now, to be fair to Faithlife, I similarly avoid other cutesy products that want to slice/dice, think-for-me, label-things-so-I'll-think-that-way, etc.

I guess (1) I spend quite a bit of dinero on what Logos offers for 'original' information (as good as the research world is at the moment). And (2) I don't need Faithlife's labeling, organizing, explaining, etc to kludge things up. Even in the library, I ignore their 'types', 'subjects', etc and completely re-use the encroaching 'Series' field.

Yes, I've arranged my Verbum so 'Factbook' (more like GuessBook) is almost invisible. But why not just allow the option to 'just say no'?

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256861#Comment_1256861

But why not just allow the option to 'just say no'?

For the same reason as hundreds of other features/options/tagging cannot be turned on and off. Every single such option adds complexity to the code, decreasing the ability to thoroughly test, increasing the probability of errors, and increasing the cost of maintaining the code. To make it optional is to add a decision point everywhere it is used. Furthermore, it would make it easy for users who are willing to learn to use it and find it helpful to not know the feature was available because whoever introduced them to Logos turned it off. We already get enough suggestions from users, including long time users like myself, for features that already exist simply because we use different terminology or didn't look in the right place. If you don't like Factbook, then, as DMB says, you can make it almost invisible. My attitude is "if you don't like a feature ... don't use it ... duh ..."

However, out of curiosity, if you hate Factbook, do you also hate the Guides? or do you ignore them? or do you use them?

Kiyah

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256861#Comment_1256861

Yes, I've arranged my Verbum so 'Factbook' (more like GuessBook) is almost invisible.

How did you manage that? Maybe you can offer tips for the rest of us. I'd love it to be out of the way but there when I need it.

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256870#Comment_1256870

For the same reason as hundreds of other features/options/tagging cannot be turned on and off. ...

My attitude is "if you don't like a feature ... don't use it ... duh ..."

However, out of curiosity, if you hate Factbook, do you also hate the Guides? or do you ignore them? or do you use them?

The guides aren't constantly in your face. And no, I don't use them except a forum query from someone.

And coding as you do, I'm well aware of yada, yada, yada (smiling).

The duh part for me, is just avoid Logos. I already do that with the Faithlife mobiles.

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256874#Comment_1256874

How did you manage that? Maybe you can offer tips for the rest of us. I'd love it to be out of the way but there when I need it.

Primarily working off floating windows. Although, I wish the Factbook icon would disappear, before the interlinear icon (small resource panels).

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1256877#Comment_1256877

The guides aren't constantly in your face.

Nor is Factbook ... as you said it is nearly invisible. Okay, I do know what you mean which is accurate. However, FL sees Factbook as a reasonable starting point for a new user in a way that it doesn't see Guides. And I predicted to myself that you did not use guides as they would not be particularly useful to you. I suspect that Guides are considered more of a relic that may in the near future be replaced by something easier to maintain across all the platforms.

And coding as you do, I'm well aware of yada, yada, yada (smiling).

Which is why I was a bit surprised by your suggestion. Fortunately for Faithlife, neither of us are typical users ... which is much more fun than using it as intended, right?

Gregory T. Smith

I used it quite frequently... I hope there will be a replacement!

Gregory T. Smith

I really miss it! What will take it's place?

Dave Hooton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1265242#Comment_1265242

Faithlife Assistant failed because its input was constrained and many were more familiar with the Command Box. Have a look at a beta Search as a pointer to the future.