The Future of Logos 4

Mark Barnes said:

Andy Bell said:

they use (I think) Amazon's cloud services and have little or no input into 'cloud security'.

They use Amazon for serving static files (i.e. resource downloads), but (we think) their own servers for user data.

Thanks for the clarification.

I will reiterate that the actual encryption of data is a trivial process. Obviously the whole infrastructure of network storage, along with security and taking precautions against malicious attacks is anything but trivial. Having encrypted data stored on the server doesn't increase server's inherent security, but it does provide a decent insurance policy against your data being read in the event of a security breach.

As an example - if I store a stack of personal data on a USB drive and then lose it I would be a very worried man. But if I had encrypted it using an industrial strength algorithm and a long password that could not be guessed or cracked using a 'dictionary attack' then I would be far less worried. Statistically, trying to brute force crack a 20 character password will take so long that I would not be concerned that someone would manage it - not in my, my children's and my grandchildren's lifetime anyway. I'm less likely to worry about it when I'm dead[;)]

I know that Logos advise us not to use notes/prayer lists for private things, but that's a huge limitation AND you have to read the licence agreement to receive that advice. If you just read the website blurb: "Safe and secure. You can have the peace of mind that all your documents—notes, clippings, and custom guides—are safely backed up on our servers" you wont get the impression that 'safe' only means 'backed up' and excludes 'secure'. I know you can, and some will, argue that the user is responsible for reading the Licence Agreement but I, personally, don't think this is sufficient. Many users don't read them.

Bible Study and, especially, Prayers are personal and if I am researching something to help someone (or myself) with an embarrassing problem then I would have to remember not to use Logos' notes in this instance. 

I, therefore, am writing my own Logos4-COM-API linked notes system and I may decide to save those notes to a database on a webserver that I have. Will I encrypt those notes? Of course. That's a given.

Lynden Williams said:

Andrew McKenzie said:

Given Bob's following comments, particularly in relation to Kindle, for me I'm not interested in collaboratively sharing everything and anything with the world at large,

Andrew I cannot speak for Logos, but somehow I doubt you will have to share everything with everyone. In L3 we could choose to share notes with the community.

I am making no statement about how this 'social networking' use of our personal user documents is going to work and what choices we will have on control over our own user content.   

But for me, the way I want to work with the software, and what I believe it appropriate use of my personally created content,  I'm not willing to take the risk of building up notes or prayer lists in software, have them on a server in Logos for backup (if that's all that was ever going to happen , then I'm fine with that ) and then find at some point in the future they are then put out there on the network without my choosing. At this point Bob has not said this will happen, but I simply don't like where this is been taken and so and going to move to other options from this point forward that give me greater control over my content.  I will continue to use Logos 4, just not for notes or prayer lists.

I appreciate the concerns posted by Russ and Andy...I've learned quite a bit from reading their posts and the posts written in response. On one level I have noticed many similar posts--clearly these issues concern these guys. Of course, I don't have to read them all, do I? Since this is the USA and all, griping about their postings, whether they are one-note symphonies or not, is uncalled for. The funny thing about this whole forum--NOBODY MAKES YOU CLICK A SINGLE LINK. If you don't want to read a particular poster's posts--DON'T. Problem solved.

I frankly think the only posts that should be banned or limited are the ones that complain about complainers. If no one complains about a problem, the problem cannot be addressed. Thus all are forced to suffer through inadequecies that waste resources (primarily time). Griping solves problems. That may fly in the face of what some people consider to be "Christian behavior"...but such thinking stems from a flawed concept of Christianity. Don't forget that a vast portion of the Bible is nothing more than YHWH griping about stuff...He's constantly hemming and hawing about "improvement" and "betterment". Why don't some of you who can't stand for someone to express dissatisfaction call God onto your carpet and give Him a good talking to about how to behave as a Christian?

See where that gets you...

David Paul said:

I frankly think the only posts that should be banned or limited are the ones that complain about complainers.

The vast majority of us don't mind 'complaints' if they're reasonably described and rationally argued. Heck, all of us complain about certain things. And I don't mind at all Andrew's decision not to use notes/prayer lists because he's concerned about security. That's entirely his own business.

But what some people have objected to is over-generalising statements: "Logos is terrible because it doesn't do this one thing I want", "Logos doesn't listen to anyone because they don't do what I want". (I'm deliberately not quoting individuals above, but paraphrasing sentiments that are expressed from time to time by different individuals.)

When Logos was first released, it didn't support old-style reverse interlinears, and they didn't intend it to. But they changed because of the response on this forum. What changed their minds was not complaining and griping. What changed their minds was thoughtfully worded rational arguments that showed an appreciation for the larger issues, explained clearly why the 'old' way could be more helpful to them than the 'new' way. More importantly, what changed their minds was that when posts like this came along, lots of other people chimed in and said "me too! That's what I think!".

If we want to change Logos (and there's not much point complaining just for the sake of it), then we need to persuade others, so that Logos know it's not just one or two whinging, but a much deeper problem. Unfortunately threads like this one have generated more heat than light.

Andrew McKenzie said:

Its not what I want out of my Bible Study Software, they are going directions that just aren't for me so I am making a decision today that takes Logos completely out of the picture on these issues for me tomorrow. 

The directions they're going in aren't forcing you to do anything you aren't doing now, or anything you don't want to do in the future.

Andrew McKenzie said:

So I pretty much a one device person in terms of my study and can do my own backups and offline storage of my documents, which anyone should look at doing, rather than rely soley upon Logos.

I do this, and I use Logos. I don't have mobile access to the Internet, I don't have a 3G cell phone connection or a laptop. I use Logos on my desktop, and I do my own backups and my own offline storage of documents. I do all this, and I use Logos.

Kenneth Shawver said:

Hopefully, we can just point people who haven't read this one to the link where they can see first hand your position and you can use your time in doing what you do so well.

 [Y]       http://community.logos.com/forums/p/23243/173181.aspx#173181