Official: You Can Now Get Early Access to the Next Version of Logos
Later this year, we’ll launch the next version of Logos as a subscription. The subscription will have several tiers and eventually replace Preaching Suite, Faithlife Connect, and other Logos feature sets.
We’re living in a period of significant technological change, and only a subscription model enables us to continuously release new features and improvements as soon as they are built. Many of you don’t want to wait up to two years for improvements that could significantly benefit your Bible study. Subscription also allows us to include AI features which we can’t offer with permanent licenses due to the significant ongoing costs and rapidly changing technology.
Subscriptions aren’t required to maintain access to your existing content. They’re for those who want access to new and improved features. With Logos, your content investment is always safe, and you’ll always be able to access it for free. The subscription benefits listed above for features don’t apply to books in the same way, so we don’t foresee a time when we’ll stop selling perpetual licenses to books.
Can I get these subscriptions today?
One of the tiers of the forthcoming subscription will be called Logos Pro, and it will be aimed specifically at pastors. The full launch of these subscriptions won’t happen until later in the year, but if you own the Logos 10 Full Feature Set or subscribe to Faithlife Connect (excluding Starter and Mobile), you can get early access to Logos Pro today at a very special price.
Logos Pro includes most of the Logos 10 Full Feature Set, a library of more than 400 books to help you experience the power of Logos, and all the new features and improvements we’re developing for Logos 11. If you subscribe today, you’ll get five new features (Smart Search, Search Results Summaries, Summarization Sidebar, Sermon Assistant, and Instant Dark/Light Mode), and approximately once a quarter, we’ll add new and improved features to the subscription—not just this year, but every year.
How much will early access to Logos Pro cost?
Customers who own the Logos 10 Full Feature Set or subscribe to Faithlife Connect (excluding Starter and Mobile) can purchase the subscription for just $9.99/month. When Logos Pro launches in the fall with the other tiers of subscription, you’ll have the option to maintain your subscription to Logos Pro or switch to one of the other subscription tiers at a continued large discount.
How do I get it?
If you qualify, you can get early access to Logos Pro today at www.logos.com/early-access.
What is in Logos Pro?
We, and our beta testers, are excited by the features we’re adding to Logos Pro and later to the other subscription tiers. At the time of writing, Logos Pro includes most of the Logos 10 Full Feature Set, a library of more than 400 books to help you experience the power of Logos, and five new features described below. More features will be added regularly throughout the year and beyond.
Smart Search is a brand-new search engine built right into Logos. Just like the search engines you’re familiar with online, Smart Search doesn’t just search for the words in your query—it uses AI to search for articles that discuss the meaning of those words and then shows the most relevant place in that article in the search snippets. It makes searching your Logos library as easy as you’ve always hoped it would be.
Search Results Summaries allows you, with one click, to turn any brief search snippet into an AI-generated summary of the entire article, allowing you to better understand what each article covers, saving you time and helping you find the best content to dig into.
Summarization Sidebar enables you to use AI to summarize any article or chapter in almost any of your Logos books. The new Summarize tool can help you digest a lengthy article more quickly, simplify a complex article, or determine whether the full article is worth your time reading in full.
Sermon Assistant is an AI-powered tool that helps preachers overcome creative block and makes it easier to create materials to help the congregation better engage with the message. Currently:
- The Illustrations Generator suggests several short sermon illustrations you can use to explain doctrinal or other concepts.
- The Discussion Questions Generator takes a completed sermon and creates a series of discussion questions based on the sermon that could be used in a church bulletin or for small group, family, or personal study.
More than 400 commentaries, dictionaries, systematic theologies, journals, and other books to help you experience the distinctive power of Logos, including:
- 17 volumes of the Lexham Research Commentary series
- 10 volumes of the Spurgeon Commentary series
- 30 volumes of the Bible Study Magazine
- More than 350 additional volumes
Instant Dark/Light Mode allows you to switch between light and dark mode on desktop without requiring you to restart Logos.
And much more still to come!
That’s a lot of AI! Are all the new features going to be AI-powered?
We’re excited by the possibilities that AI—responsibly leveraged—brings to Logos, and we want to make the most of this technology. But we also want to equip you with the best tools for Bible study, using the most suitable technology for the task. So while there are plenty of AI-powered improvements in Logos Pro, and several more coming, we’ll also bring non-AI feature improvements, too.
Does AI really have a place in Bible study?
Christians have always been at the forefront of technology when it comes to accessing and understanding the Bible, whether adopting the codex in the second century or the printing press in the fifteenth. However, AI has limitations, fallibilities, and biases because it mirrors and sometimes amplifies those same weaknesses found in all human authors. That’s why Logos always lets you know when the content you’re reading is generated by AI. In addition, Logos’s AI tools are backed by your Logos library and designed to ensure AI is used responsibly and in a way appropriate for Bible study.
I don’t own the Logos 10 Full Feature Set. When can I subscribe to Logos Pro?
If you don’t own the Logos 10 Full Feature Set, you’ll be able to subscribe later in the year at a higher price. Or, you could purchase the Full Feature Upgrade now and immediately become eligible to subscribe at the discounted price.
Is early access to Logos Pro a beta program?
No. Each feature is beta-tested before it becomes part of Logos Pro. The purpose of early access is not for testing—it’s so that you can enjoy these new and improved features without waiting for the major release in the fall.
Can I cancel at any time?
Yes. Just visit https://www.logos.com/account/subscriptions.
Where does this leave subscriptions like Faithlife Connect and Preaching Suite?
The subscription that will launch later in the year will replace Faithlife Connect and Preaching Suite. The tier we're launching today, Logos Pro, includes exclusive new features, but there are a few tools and datasets in Connect and Preaching Suite that aren’t in Logos Pro but will be in another tier of the subscription. Most of the books in Logos Pro are different from those included in the existing subscriptions.
If you subscribe to those products, we’ll contact you later in the year to explain how you can painlessly switch to the new subscription. Until then, we recommend keeping your existing subscription to ensure you don’t lose any perks, features, or books. In the meantime, you could add Logos Pro to your existing subscription if you’re eligible.
Will I be forced to subscribe to Logos in the future? What about all the books I’ve already bought?
No one will be forced to subscribe to Logos to retain access to their existing content. You will always be able to access all the books you’ve purchased without further payment. Your books are your books. Subscriptions are for those who want access to the latest improvements, which aim to help you uncover deeper insights in less time.
Does this mean Logos will be subscription-only? Will I be able to buy Logos in the future?
Logos subscriptions aren’t new. More than ten thousand people have been subscribing to Logos for nearly a decade. But we’re now embracing subscription for our software because doing so has five distinct advantages.
- New users can have much lower upfront costs and try Logos with much less commitment.
- It allows us to continuously release new features and improvements as soon as they are built, rather than holding them back for a major release every two years. That’s especially important at a time of rapid technological change.
- It allows us to include features like AI, which we can’t offer permanent licenses to because of the significant ongoing costs.
- It’s a sustainable way of ensuring we can keep delivering improvements for decades to come.
- Releasing early and often significantly shortens the feedback loop, enabling us to continually tweak our improvements to ensure they’re really solving the most important things for all our customers.
With books, it’s different. The content of books isn’t continually improved—once they’re published, they’re done. And while we bear small ongoing costs to allow you to download and interact with your books, those costs are orders of magnitude lower than that of AI and similar services. Therefore, you will still be able to buy permanent access to Logos libraries and any other books from our catalog. In the future, we may add rental options for those who want it, but we don’t foresee a time when we’ll stop selling perpetual licenses to books.
We’re still thinking through what that means for purchasable feature sets, and we’d value your feedback on whether the option to purchase would be important to you, knowing that you’d miss out on all the AI and cloud-backed features along with regular updates.
We’re excited about the benefits of a Logos subscription. We’re already building new features and improvements that will be released in the coming months, and we can’t wait to share them with early access customers soon and the rest of our users in the fall.
If you’re eligible and want to subscribe, visit www.logos.com/early-access.
Comments
- they already own the Logos 10 Full Feature Set, so they won't lose any features
- they have the "No Library" version of Connect, so they won't lose any books
- they understand they'll lose the perks, and they're OK with that
- Smart Search and Search Results summaries are coming to mobile in v33.
- Sermon Assistant is not available on phones or Android. It is available on the iPad app.
- Instant dark mode is already available on mobile, but won't be available on the web app.
- they already own the Logos 10 Full Feature Set, so they won't lose any features
- they have the "No Library" version of Connect, so they won't lose any books
- they understand they'll lose the perks, and they're OK with that
As a Logos Connect subscriber, I haven't been happy with the service for awhile, what guarantee that this service won't be like Logos Now & Logos Connect again, being abandoned and dead?This is a good question. It seems over time a service gets abandoned although we are still paying for it. Logos Connect only might be worthwile due to discounts received when a new version comes out.
Connect hasn't been abandoned. We've continued to update Connect every two years with all the latest features. When Logos 10 came out, all Connect subscribers received all Logos 10 features, and the subscription price did not go up. The same was true when Logos 9 was released. All the perks, etc., from Connect—the courses, the annual cashback, and so on—are also still being delivered.
But this announcement is saying that Connect will be rolled into this new subscription before the end of the year. So Connect's days are numbered, but until it's subsumed into the new subscription, it remains fully supported, albeit closed to new customers.
and a "maybe" to future purchasable feature sets.Not reassuring at all.
We're listening to you and all our customers. The more feedback we get like yours, the more likely we'll offer future purchasable feature sets.
I own Logos 10 Full Features and base packages. Would it be better for me yo cancel FL Connect No Library and just go ahead and subscribe to Logos Pro? Other than the free 3 ebooks, 25% off a Lexham Press purchase and 2% cash back, what else would I lose or gain?
I’m asking because I will have to make a decision whether to cancel or renew in May 2024.
Thanks!
DAL
and a "maybe" to future purchasable feature sets.Not reassuring at all.
We're listening to you and all our customers. The more feedback we get like yours, the more likely we'll offer future purchasable feature sets.
Yes, please offer the option to purchase. Maybe have features for sale like you do now and just subscription for AI and other Cloud related features.
DAL
I own Logos 10 Full Features and base packages. Would it be better for me yo cancel FL Connect No Library and just go ahead and subscribe to Logos Pro? Other than the free 3 ebooks, 25% off a Lexham Press purchase and 2% cash back, what else would I lose or gain?
In this specific case, I think you're OK with canceling and getting Pro if that's what you'd like to do. You will lose all the perks you mentioned, plus any more perks that you didn't mention. Are Mobile Ed courses part of Connect No Library? I think they may be. If so, you'd lose those, too.
For others with similar questions, I'm only giving this answer because DAL says
In all other circumstances, we recommend sticking with Connect until we announce a migration plan.
Yes, please offer the option to purchase. Maybe have features for sale like you do now and just subscription for AI and other Cloud related features.
This. To be clear, I have no problems with a separate AI subscription if that is what you need for it. What I want is for the software to continue to develop and to have option to purchase permanent licenses to feature upgrades like we have now.
Excuse me if this question has already been asked and answered. I'm at work and could only skim the posts.
Early Access seems only available for the desktop app. If this is so, are there plans to offer these features for mobile in the near future?
Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.
International Standard Version. (2011). (Lk 2:52). Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation.
MacBook Pro MacOS Sequoia 15.4 1TB SSD
We're listening to you and all our customers. The more feedback we get like yours, the more likely we'll offer future purchasable feature sets.
Well, obviously, some will want to purchase feature sets. That's easy.
But wanting me to spend $200+ to try out a subscription, don't think so. And come fall (I assume), I can't imagine how your corprate financials could obviate a more relaxed test-it regime.
And that's ok.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
Early Access seems only available for the desktop app. If this is so, are there plans to offer these features for mobile in the near future?
It's pages back ... mobile is coming, with web ... all platforms.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
Thanks DeniseEarly Access seems only available for the desktop app. If this is so, are there plans to offer these features for mobile in the near future?
It's pages back ... mobile is coming, with web ... all platforms.
Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.
International Standard Version. (2011). (Lk 2:52). Yorba Linda, CA: ISV Foundation.
MacBook Pro MacOS Sequoia 15.4 1TB SSD
Since you are asking for feedback, I will say that I am concerned about the cost. I understand the need for continuing income so that you can keep the company strong, but it seems that Logos has become a runaway freight train when it comes to pricing. I speak for many small town, small church pastors who simply cannot afford to pay 300 to 500 dollars for each new version. If the 9.99 Logos Pro monthly subscription is a reduced cost, with the higher costs coming later, you have automatically put it out of the reach of many people who need it the most. I don't have the full feature set for Logos 10, so I will have to wait and see what the increased pricing is. I simply feel that Logos is focusing on a small segment of higher income individuals.
Subscriptions make me feel dirty, so I will unlikely subscribe for long unless there is a similar fallback license to the Jetbrains model. (https://sales.jetbrains.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207240845-What-is-a-perpetual-fallback-license).
I would probably be happy with $20 a month for such a license, although I appreciate a considerable portion of the subscription fee would be towards the LLM APIs, so one would not be able to fallback with those features, but definitely new regular features and fixes that do not use them I would like to be able to 'purchase' in some capacity.
I am mostly happy with Logos as it is, but would definitely like to see improvements such as link-tab leader/follower that we now have in mobile. I would be quite upset if this is introduced in desktop but the only way I can access it is to pay forever a monthly fee that incorporates a load of other features I would little use.
I would also hope bugs in current features are fixed whether or not you subscribe.
From the book list included in Logos Pro, I determined that I have most of it. So in reality, what I'd be paying is features use mostly. Shouldn't that be factored in also in the Logos Pro subscription fee, like how dynamic pricing works for perpetual licenses on base packages? I mean, why should both users pay the same amount of subscription fee when another has zero of the books while another have most, if not all, of them?
err ah ---
What's a good response when someone starts with "err ah---"? No response!
You should use AI to figure out the words that trigger you. Don't need to waste your money on a shrink. I can get you started: How about "financial economist"? You must have had someone in your immediate circle who was a financial economist and a scumbag for you to have a visceral reaction. One of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control.
BTW socialism refers to the ownership of the means of production
You can take your definition and stick it where you know it belongs...ok, have you taken your head out of the gutter....ok, now stick your definition back into the textbooks from where you pulled out the definition. Ask the man on the street and he will tell you what socialism means to him practically. You don't need some definition from a textbook.
All politicians are voted in to take take resources from the "other" group and give it "their own" group. Politics simply enables legalized stealing. We don't need corporations to join this train.
I believe in a Win-Win-Win God.
Subscriptions make me feel dirty, so I will unlikely subscribe for long unless there is a similar fallback license to the Jetbrains model. (https://sales.jetbrains.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207240845-What-is-a-perpetual-fallback-license).
That's an interesting model. That's for the info. (I used to subscribe to Jetbrains, but I'd forgotten all about this license.)
Early Access seems only available for the desktop app. If this is so, are there plans to offer these features for mobile in the near future?
I gave this answer earlier:
All these features are cross-platform (desktop, web, and mobile) with the following exceptions:
From the book list included in Logos Pro, I determined that I have most of it. So in reality, what I'd be paying is features use mostly. Shouldn't that be factored in also in the Logos Pro subscription fee, like how dynamic pricing works for perpetual licenses on base packages? I mean, why should both users pay the same amount of subscription fee when another has zero of the books while another have most, if not all, of them?
This special discounted pricing is only available for people with the L10 Full Feature set. We assume that those customers will also own most of the books, so we took that into consideration when we calculated the discounted price. There will be very few, if any, customers receiving the discounted price who don't already own most of the books.
I was just telling my students this week, in a pitch for using Logos, that the best part about it was that it hasn't gone the way of a subscription service [:O]. I've apparently put my foot in my mouth and will have to retract that recommendation next week.
We’re still thinking through what that means for purchasable feature sets, and we’d value your feedback on whether the option to purchase would be important to you, knowing that you’d miss out on all the AI and cloud-backed features along with regular updates.
My vote is to continue to offer purchasable feature sets. I'm very unlikely to sigh up for an ongoing subscription service. There is really only one feature I could see being worth it for me to do so, and that would be if the personal book builder is revived with AI capabilities and mobile app access for personal books.
Mark - any idea when a decision will be made on whether or not Logos will continue to offer purchasable feature sets? Now that I know it's a possibility that non-subscription purchasable feature sets will not be offered in the future, I'm going to pause my resource purchases with Logos for the time being, as there is no sense in continuing to invest in a product that would stay stagnant. If the answer turns out to be "no - we're going subscription only for new features," then I will be migrating over to Accordance. Hopefully they can offer some type of cross-grade deal to those of us that a subscription plan isn't right for. Take note, Nathan Parker. [:D]
Logos power user since 2008. LogosNow/Faithlife Connect subscriber. New to this news & discussion just this morning. After perusing this forum thread for ten minutes, I want to make sure I have a basic understanding of what Logos will look like going forward....
1. No longer will there be a new version of Logos every two years or so to purchase or upgrade to.
2. The Logos engine will be a constantly improving/upgrading product - funded through subscriptions.
3. There won't be an option to purchase the new Logos engine & features. Subscription is the future.
4. No one will lose access to the books and features they have already purchased.
5. Future purchases of books will continue, as well as coming subscription models that include many books.
Am I on the right track here? Just trying to evaluate everything. Not saying that I am opposed to the is model.
Another question I would ask is, should there be a two week, or month-long free trial to Logos Pro? Again, I'm skeptical that I would ever go with a subscription model, barring the return of the personal book builder and mobile app access that I previously mentioned, but a free trial would at least give Logos a chance to try and convince me through the new features offered.
Subscriptions make me feel dirty, so I will unlikely subscribe for long unless there is a similar fallback license to the Jetbrains model. (https://sales.jetbrains.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207240845-What-is-a-perpetual-fallback-license).That's an interesting model. That's for the info. (I used to subscribe to Jetbrains, but I'd forgotten all about this license.)
Probably worth mentioning they recently released an integrated AI Assistant service, this requires a subscription independent of the one mentioned above. https://www.jetbrains.com/ai/
1Cor10 31">I'm sorry, Mark, I don't get the logic. Could you please elaborate? What is it that you cannot accomplish without including books in the package? Well, we know that the more books you add, the more the pricing. You can bring the price down by eliminating all the books in the package.
I don't need to be paying a monthly rental for resources I already own. This is pure double-dipping into my pocket.
One of the advantages of subscription is that new users can have lower upfront costs and try Logos with much less commitment. But it's very hard to say to a new user – "Hey, you can try Logos for a month or two, but only if you spend $500 on a library, because the features are fairly useless without any books". So we wanted to include enough books in Logos Pro in order to make sure that someone testing it out – without a library – would get a good experience.
Now, none of that applies to you. You're not a new user. You already have a good-sized library, I presume.
Mark: This is pure socialism. The people who own resources, the "rich" ones, get to pay the same amount as the "poor" ones who don't own the resources. That's the objective of packaging books along with the features. It was so easy to see for a financial economist. I just wanted to get it out from you officially.
We already have our government doing socialism. You'd probably agree that I don't think we need organizations doing socialism.
I want to give my money to charities that I value, like a private Christian school that educates poor kids for free thus breaking the cycle of poverty. I am not interested in subsidizing "poor" Logos customers.
I hope feature sets are available for subscription or outright purchase without being attached to a bunch of resources (if you want to do a combo deal, please offer dynamic pricing.)
Your logic is flawed on this. If a wealthy person goes to the store and buys $3/lb product and a poorer person goes to the same store and buys the same $3/lb product, is that socialism? FL is offering those who own all the books $9.99 to have new feature sets while someone who has none of the books pays the same price for feature sets and books. How is that giving those with more books an advantage? Looks like the the person who has less books is getting more.
I know the other subscription tiers haven't been announced/determined, but I hope there is one aimed at people with academic interests. I would have little use for many of the new Pro features, but I might be interested in an AI tool optimized to do textual criticism or Greco Roman or Akkadian intertextuality and stuff like that.
One question I would have is which perks us connect users will be losing. Will we lose the 2% cash back, course access, Faithlife TV, and three free classics each month?
If this is the case, I would implore Logos to please implement a plan where we can still access courses monthly. This, rather than the feature sets and added books, are a main reason for subscribing for many I would presume.
Please take this into consideration.
One question I would have is which perks us connect users will be losing. Will we lose the 2% cash back, course access, Faithlife TV, and three free classics each month?
If this is the case, I would implore Logos to please implement a plan where we can still access courses monthly. This, rather than the feature sets and added books, are a main reason for subscribing for many I would presume.
Please take this into consideration.
I own Logos 10 Full Features and base packages. Would it be better for me yo cancel FL Connect No Library and just go ahead and subscribe to Logos Pro? Other than the free 3 ebooks, 25% off a Lexham Press purchase and 2% cash back, what else would I lose or gain?In this specific case, I think you're OK with canceling and getting Pro if that's what you'd like to do. You will lose all the perks you mentioned, plus any more perks that you didn't mention. Are Mobile Ed courses part of Connect No Library? I think they may be. If so, you'd lose those, too.
For others with similar questions, I'm only giving this answer because DAL says
In all other circumstances, we recommend sticking with Connect until we announce a migration plan.
Since I renewed in February, it is better for me to wait? I thought if we held out, there would be special discounts
We’re still thinking through what that means for purchasable feature sets, and we’d value your feedback on whether the option to purchase would be important to you, knowing that you’d miss out on all the AI and cloud-backed features along with regular updates.
In an age of endless subscriptions, I would be careful as subscription fatigue is becoming real. Pastors and loyal Logos members will gladly pay, but I and others who may be content buying Logos Fundamentals, Starter, or Bronze may not sign up for a subscription. Furthermore, it may deter some people. I have switched software before once it became a subscription-only service as I avoid subscriptions whenever possible. Making at least present features and layman future features available as perpetual licenses can generate extra money from people like me, and can allow those who want to avoid the high one-time fee to subscribe. It is a win-win deal where Logos makes money either way. I will stick with Logos as I already own all the features I care for so other than switching to dark mode without a restart, I'll be okay.
We’re still thinking through what that means for purchasable feature sets, and we’d value your feedback on whether the option to purchase would be important to you, knowing that you’d miss out on all the AI and cloud-backed features along with regular updates.
In an age of endless subscriptions, I would be careful as subscription fatigue is becoming real. Pastors and loyal Logos members will gladly pay, but I and others who may be content buying Logos Fundamentals, Starter, or Bronze may not sign up for a subscription. Furthermore, it may deter some people. I have switched software before once it became a subscription-only service as I avoid subscriptions whenever possible. Making at least present features and layman future features available as perpetual licenses can generate extra money from people like me, and can allow those who want to avoid the high one-time fee to subscribe. It is a win-win deal where Logos makes money either way. I will stick with Logos as I already own all the features I care for so other than switching to dark mode without a restart, I'll be okay.
We’re still thinking through what that means for purchasable feature sets, and we’d value your feedback on whether the option to purchase would be important to you, knowing that you’d miss out on all the AI and cloud-backed features along with regular updates.
In an age of endless subscriptions, I would be careful as subscription fatigue is becoming real. Pastors and loyal Logos members will gladly pay, but I and others who may be content buying Logos Fundamentals, Starter, or Bronze may not sign up for a subscription. Furthermore, it may deter some people. I have switched software before once it became a subscription-only service as I avoid subscriptions whenever possible. Making at least present features and layman future features available as perpetual licenses can generate extra money from people like me, and can allow those who want to avoid the high one-time fee to subscribe. It is a win-win deal where Logos makes money either way. I will stick with Logos as I already own all the features I care for so other than switching to dark mode without a restart, I'll be okay.
At the current price the AI features simply aren't smart enough for me to buy in. The Smart search has been consistently worse in finding results compared to precise search. I have no interest in the summarize feature - it's my job to read, not the computer. This could change if these features were more refined.
I understand the need for a subscription for services like AI, but I have no intention of ever subscribing for other features. My current set up has everything I need and I am much more willing to put up with 'outdated' features down the road than putting up with a subscription. At the end of the day my work as a preacher is to read and write and Logos 10 already does far more than that.
I know the other subscription tiers haven't been announced/determined, but I hope there is one aimed at people with academic interests. I would have little use for many of the new Pro features, but I might be interested in an AI tool optimized to do textual criticism or Greco Roman or Akkadian intertextuality and stuff like that.
I can certainly agree. But I also try to be realistic. Outside of Perseus (sp?), Logos is largely a 2nd or 3rd year Bible school tool (plus preaching). If there's more greek resources, it's grammars ... if more hebrew, grammars. I don't know what's up, in aramaic. Not even that? Any FL expertise left?
I kind of meh'd when Bob's brother intro'd Perseus. Now, I feel lucky! And indeed, maybe AI would work for textual criticism, though Accordance has more mss coverage (though still limited). I'd bet an AI subscription from New Orleans (CNTTS) would be the better subscription.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
Logos power user since 2008. LogosNow/Faithlife Connect subscriber. New to this news & discussion just this morning. After perusing this forum thread for ten minutes, I want to make sure I have a basic understanding of what Logos will look like going forward....
1. No longer will there be a new version of Logos every two years or so to purchase or upgrade to.
2. The Logos engine will be a constantly improving/upgrading product - funded through subscriptions.
3. There won't be an option to purchase the new Logos engine & features. Subscription is the future.
4. No one will lose access to the books and features they have already purchased.
5. Future purchases of books will continue, as well as coming subscription models that include many books.
Am I on the right track here? Just trying to evaluate everything. Not saying that I am opposed to the is model.
It's a bit more nuanced than that.
We're announcing that we're leaning heavily into subscription this fall for the five reasons I gave, particularly the ability to release features early and often and because subscriptions enable AI and similar features.
We're listening to users to help us understand whether the ability to purchase a feature set is worthwhile to them if they knew it wouldn't include regular updates or AI features.
So subscription is the future, but maybe there's still a lesser role for the perpetual license.
Another question I would ask is, should there be a two week, or month-long free trial to Logos Pro? Again, I'm skeptical that I would ever go with a subscription model, barring the return of the personal book builder and mobile app access that I previously mentioned, but a free trial would at least give Logos a chance to try and convince me through the new features offered.
Thanks for the feedback. That's something we may offer in the future.
Rather than delivering five new but fairly small features over a 30-week period, we might invest in (let's say) one substantial new feature and several small but significant improvements to existing features. In other words, this time our promise to you is about quality, not quantity.
This can sometimes be a good intention that the reality of marketing needs to sell new versions to keep the lights on can conflict with but let me lend my full support to this direction. I'd much rather have less new features if the ones I do have are best in class and truly useful. Atlas is a great example of this along with the timeline (can't easily see Bible books in context of history, which is a fail for me). I need more help finding value in my library. That's where the real effort needs to go in the future.
Rather than delivering five new but fairly small features over a 30-week period, we might invest in (let's say) one substantial new feature and several small but significant improvements to existing features. In other words, this time our promise to you is about quality, not quantity.
This can sometimes be a good intention that the reality of marketing needs to sell new versions to keep the lights on can conflict with but let me lend my full support to this direction. I'd much rather have less new features if the ones I do have are best in class and truly useful. Atlas is a great example of this along with the timeline (can't easily see Bible books in context of history, which is a fail for me). I need more help finding value in my library. That's where the real effort needs to go in the future.
We’re still thinking through what that means for purchasable feature sets, and we’d value your feedback on whether the option to purchase would be important to you, knowing that you’d miss out on all the AI and cloud-backed features along with regular updates.
This has been a repeated discussion between faithlife and customers. I think it is fair to say a lot of us want to continue to operate the ownership model. I've been a connect subscriber from the Logos Now days. I feel its vital to keep both options open. Especially because of the way ministry is funded. I've been able to get various grants towards ownership at times which has been wonderful.
I have also never seen a library subscription which goes anywhere close to meeting my needs. I suspect other users with larger libraries will feel the same. Perhaps if you did a full catalogue subscription like netflix but for books?
גַּם־חֹשֶׁךְ֮ לֹֽא־יַחְשִׁ֪יךְ מִ֫מֶּ֥ךָ וְ֭לַיְלָה כַּיּ֣וֹם יָאִ֑יר כַּ֝חֲשֵׁיכָ֗ה כָּאוֹרָֽה
It's a bit more nuanced than that.
We're announcing that we're leaning heavily into subscription this fall for the five reasons I gave, particularly the ability to release features early and often and because subscriptions enable AI and similar features.
We're listening to users to help us understand whether the ability to purchase a feature set is worthwhile to them if they knew it wouldn't include regular updates or AI features.
So subscription is the future, but maybe there's still a lesser role for the perpetual license.
And this is why there is so much concern about this major change in business model..... One post will say those who don't subscribe will receive updates, one mentions the six week releases to keep up with OS updates and then this little grenade is dropped..... So what is the TRUTH about updates for those who choose to not subscribe - this statement makes it sound as though they will be left in the dark....
Those of us who have been around for the Libronix era, The original and IMHO still best Sermon File addin, the transition to L4 and each subsequent upgrade - well, we have seen many promises like "the you keep access to resources and features you own whether you upgrade or not" at times be forgotten.
As some who have stated with regards to the current subscription models, a number of things never followed through on.... (I don't subscribe so I can only base it on the comments I have seen posted)
There more discussion that happens seems to be pointing towards the promise in this post from Bob in relation to concerns that subscription would take over as no longer being honored - https://community.logos.com/forums/p/103335/715312.aspx#715312
Supporting the existing ownership model indefinitely is not what it sounds like at this time.... (And yes I know that an "escape clause" of not using the word promise was included) - but the consistent mantra has always been we would never lose access to our features and resources - yet it has happened... I still have missing features that I owned in Libronix and the Libronix engine is no longer supported or readily available.... So, understand that some are leery.....
Logos 10 - OpenSuse Tumbleweed, Windows 11, Android 16 & Android 14
I know the other subscription tiers haven't been announced/determined, but I hope there is one aimed at people with academic interests. I would have little use for many of the new Pro features, but I might be interested in an AI tool optimized to do textual criticism or Greco Roman or Akkadian intertextuality and stuff like that.
There will be a tier focused more on academic use. I confess that Akkadian intertextuality isn't yet at the top of our list of possible features for that tier, though...
So subscription is the future, but maybe there's still a lesser role for the perpetual license.
I agree that subscription is the future in order for companies to stay ahead of the game with innovative features. The AI features in Logos have been well implemented (especially in these early stages) and I am already finding them tremendously useful. I see the benefit of AI in getting the most out of the massive resources that we have access to in Logos.
There more discussion that happens seems to be pointing towards the promise in this post from Bob in relation to concerns that subscription would take over as no longer being honored - https://community.logos.com/forums/p/103335/715312.aspx#715312
I'm sorry that part of the transparency is saying "we think" and "we plan", not "we promise", but if I was confidently asserting that I could tell you how technology products / business-models / platforms / trends were going to be a few years from now, you'd have other reasons to think poorly of us. :-)
There more discussion that happens seems to be pointing towards the promise in this post from Bob in relation to concerns that subscription would take over as no longer being honored - https://community.logos.com/forums/p/103335/715312.aspx#715312I'm sorry that part of the transparency is saying "we think" and "we plan", not "we promise", but if I was confidently asserting that I could tell you how technology products / business-models / platforms / trends were going to be a few years from now, you'd have other reasons to think poorly of us. :-)
I also referenced that "escape clause" in my post. which you misleadingly left out of your post here..... The fact is, that we have always been promised that we would not lose access to resources and features that we purchased.... That has not always been true, see the Sermon File Addin and no the current Sermon features are not the same, nor better IMHO....
So, there is obvious question as to whether Logos will eventually force users into the subscription plan..... Or if they will eventually eliminate the engine and just release an ebook reader, so they can say that customers still have access to their purchased books.... Which would mean more features that were purchased and then removed or no longer supported without upgrade/subscription...... Chalking it up as the features were redone and only available in a new version (Sermon File), so there is a need to subscribe....
Logos 10 - OpenSuse Tumbleweed, Windows 11, Android 16 & Android 14
And this is why there is so much concern about this major change in business model.....
.... So, understand that some are leery.....
Stepping back. They knew there'd have to be a subscription to the AI. They knew they have a whole series of subscriptions. And consolidation was an option. So, they let lose with hints and then clarifying hints. I hate to see Sept's Logos 11 launch ... I assume preachers are going to be in the bull's eye (feature access). More recently, their church management .... subscription?
The other mystery is 'early release'. If something is profitable, why make big-spenders jump thru hoops, to avoid the Logos revenue? I'd assume the answer is Sept ... get used to it ... going to be brutal.
I just think majority ownership has to translate to change.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
So subscription is the future, but maybe there's still a lesser role for the perpetual license.
This is the right play. Logos is thinking long term. Logos is embracing the future. I subscribed last night and am already seeing the vision. AI allows us to much better utilize the vast amount of resources that Logos offers.
I am 100% in support of this. And to think...this is only the beginning of what Logos can do as they embrace the latest tech. I am excited to see where this goes from here!
Mark, What about those of us who have not yet bought the entire Logos 10, however, have thousands of books, and thousands of dollars invested into our library? Would we not be eligible for the discount because we have not bought the latest version, although we still have spent thousands on the program? Thanks!
This is the right play. Logos is thinking long term. Logos is embracing the future. I subscribed last night and am already seeing the vision. AI allows us to much better utilize the vast amount of resources that Logos offers.
I am 100% in support of this. And to think...this is only the beginning of what Logos can do as they embrace the latest tech. I am excited to see where this goes from here!
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I've been beta testing the AI functions for a while and am still finding new advantages when I use them. They are very helpful and save time as I study and prepare lessons/sermons.
And this is why there is so much concern about this major change in business model.....
.... So, understand that some are leery.....
Stepping back. They knew there'd have to be a subscription to the AI. They knew they have a whole series of subscriptions. And consolidation was an option. So, they let lose with hints and then clarifying hints. I hate to see Sept's Logos 11 launch ... I assume preachers are going to be in the bull's eye (feature access). More recently, their church management .... subscription?
The other mystery is 'early release'. If something is profitable, why make big-spenders jump thru hoops, to avoid the Logos revenue? I'd assume the answer is Sept ... get used to it ... going to be brutal.
I just think majority ownership has to translate to change.
I hope so....
Though, it's not encouraging when Mark speaks of:
"We're listening to users to help us understand whether the ability to purchase a feature set is worthwhile to them if they knew it wouldn't include regular updates or AI features.
So subscription is the future, but maybe there's still a lesser role for the perpetual license."
Statements like wouldn't include regular updates and lesser role are discouraging for those that have no interest in a subscription.
They also draw me back to the lost features and lost accessibility fiasco of the transition from Libronix to Logos.....
So.... There may be a need to change this page - https://www.logos.com/ways-to-upgrade that states we don't lose anything you owned in a previous Logos Version and that the features are yours to keep forever.... This has always been stated, but has NOT always been practiced. Nor will it be practiced if the Logos engine goes the way of Libronix and owners are forced into subscribing for access to their owned products.... Which hasn't been stated, but..... It may just not be "planned" yet.....
Subscription based models also would not seem to apply to the following statement on the About Faithlife page, as monthly fees likely limits the accessibility for some.
We are committed to increasing biblical literacy and accessibility for every Christian around the world.
This is the vision behind everything we make—from our Bible study platform to church technology and everything in between.
Logos 10 - OpenSuse Tumbleweed, Windows 11, Android 16 & Android 14
if the Logos engine goes the way of Libronix
The Logos engine is already hindering the ability to provide users' desired functionality e.g. notes on footnotes, Bible text in commentaries serving as a Bible, etc. And the technology behind data storage is constantly evolving. If Logos is to survive, at some point that basic engine will have to be rewritten. When and how is not predictable - only that it will.
Subscription based models also would not seem to apply to the follwoing statement on the About Faithlife page, as monthly fees likely limits the accessibility for some.
We are committed to increasing biblical literacy and accessibility for every Christian around the world.
Mark has said nothing about changes to the free program option or even other low-end options. We should not assume that the subscription model applies here. It may or may not.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."