iPhone App: From Bad to Worse
Was told that new iPhone app would likely fix the trouble I was having downloading PAID volumes that are supposed to be downloadable (verified by cust. serv.). Not only has it NOT fixed that problem, none of the Ancient Christian Commentary shows up as accessible (whether online or offline). People, bells and whistles are nice but I'd go for functionality any day. How do I fix this? (And if one more person suggests "erasing and re-installing" the app one more time I think you'll hear me all the way to Washington state! Four times is enough of that trick without seeing a single improvement because of it.)
Comments
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Stephen -
Which resources are you talking about? Please be specific. Are you having problems viewing them on the mobile app, or downloading them? The Ancient Christian Commentary isn't a resource that Logos currently sells, and I assume isn't available on the mobile device. It is true that Logos' philosophy is "buy once, view anywhere," but this is subject to permission from the publishers.
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The ACC (Ancient Christian Commentary) is available on the IPhone and IPad app. I have the set and can view them both online and offline (I have downloaded the one on Hebrews) for offline reading.
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1) I gave one example (the ACC) and 2) you are surely not suggesting that Logos would sell a product for which the end-user would eventually lose the ability to use or would suffer a diminished use? If that were so, Logos would see a huge drop-off in sales and market share.
I want to download them because I am frequently in Third-World areas where Internet service is spotty-to-non-existent. Logos is intended to be my mobile library. I am expecting NOTHING that is not promised in Logos' adverts.
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Stephen - I will send an email to Logos to see if someone can help you out. It would be helpful to know some exact titles that are unavailable. Also, I was confused about wether or not you were having issues with some resources being unavailable (rather than not being able to download them). If you could clarify that, it would be appreciated.
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PS I am talking about DOWNLOADING them. And they HAVE BEEN available in the past. (However, when I deleted the app and re-installed it per Logos' advice, I lost access to them. They STILL appear on my computer. Just not on my iPhone or iPod. I am wondering if there are others I have lost. Time will tell.)
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you are surely not suggesting that Logos would sell a product for which the end-user would eventually lose the ability to use or would suffer a diminished use?
No. I did mean to say that not all Logos resources are available on mobile. When you view each product page, it should have an iPhone icon under the book cover to let you know if the resource is mobile enabled or not. I (wrongfully) assumed that the ACC was not mobile enabled because Logos no longer sells it.
There have been some instances where a resource was not supposed to be mobile enabled but was. When the error was discovered, the mobile license was pulled and the resource was no longer available on mobile devices. The example that comes to mind is the Bible Knowledge Commentary, which has actually become mobile enabled within the past 3 months.
It still would be good to have clarification on a couple of issues. Let me be explicit:
- Are there resources which you think should be available on mobile, but which are not? Please give some specific examples.
- Are there resources which you CAN view on your mobile device, but you are unable to download? Please give some specific examples.
When I get your reply, I will send an email with a link to this thread. [:)]
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1. I have provided the example with which I am presently concerned. (Once again, it is the Ancient Christian Commentary which, we both agree, OUGHT to be available on this mobile device but isn't. Why supply further examples when this is the primary concern at the moment? I have the Portfolio edition. Surely I am not to survey the entire contents? I wouldn't even know how to begin to do that. If, like the Ancient Christian Commentary, they do not even appear in the list under the "Library" option, I can't even see them, let alone view their contents. So, please, accept the Ancient Christian Commentary as satisfying your first question.)
2. I don't know.
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I know that I have had times when I first install a new version of the Logos app where titles seem to be missing...they have always come back for me after an hour or so (maybe less)...I think that there must be a lot of stuff to initially sync and if one is on a slow internet connection it can take a while before you get access to your entire library.
- Stephen, have you tried launching Logos while connected to a wifi hotspot and leaving it running for a bit to allow a complete sync?
I'm not sure that this is the problem but based on problems I have had in the past.
- Also, can you check and see if you have access to the ACC on biblia.com or library.logos.com. If you have access on these sites the problem is most likely that your iPhone app needs to completely sync. If you do not have access on these sites, then the problem is likely having to do with the license. Please check this and report back.
Jacob Hantla
Pastor/Elder, Grace Bible Church
gbcaz.org0 -
Forget the request. I just received the following from Logos Customer Service:
"Thank you for contacting us! We appreciate your business.
That commentary set is not available for the Logos mobile applications. In fact, we cannot sell them at all at this point.
This is due to unresolved licensing agreements with publishers.
Our hope is that we can eventually have access to all of our resources on the mobile applications."
I formerly had these ALL on my iPhone/iPod. This represents an uncompensated diminished use of the product to me. As I mentioned, I travel in Third World areas where Internet connectivity is spotty-to-non-existent. This will certainly impact 1) my purchasing decisions in the future, and 2) my recommendation of the software to others. How is it possible that I WAS able to use this product on my iPhone and now can no longer do so. . .but I received NO NOTICE of this from Logos nor any attempt to ameliorate the loss?
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It sounds like Logos is captive to a publisher contract issue on this one right now.
Did you purchase the set recently (i.e. since mobile access was available)? DId you purchase it with the understanding that you would have mobile access? If you bought it from Logos and these are the case, I would recommend you calmly email them back or just go straight to the CEO bob@logos.com with your concerns.
I absolutely understand your frustration and concern...I wonder to what degree our books are subject to licensing disputes. However, in general, I have found with Logos that this"uncompensated diminished use of the product" is the exception (first time I am aware of that this has happened). In general we get "free increased use of the product." I purchased many of my books 10 years before an iPhone or iPad was even something we could dream about and now I get access to many of those books for free thanks to Logos. I do not say this to diminish the frustration and even alarm at this situation, just to temper it in my mind and perhaps yours. I really hope we get this straightened out. The ACC was on my wish list.
Jacob Hantla
Pastor/Elder, Grace Bible Church
gbcaz.org0 -
I formerly had these ALL on my iPhone/iPod. This represents an uncompensated diminished use of the product to me.
My question is did Logos sell this resource as a mobile enabled resource. NOTE: I am not asking if you were able to view it, but rather wether it was sold as such. The Bible Knowledge Commentary, for example, was mistakenly mobile enabled. Logos is pretty good about refunds. If you believe they sold it to you as mobile enabled, ask for a refund.
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Stephen,
I have ACC and have them available via IPad & IPhone app.
If I search by Ancient Christian Commentary, I get nothing, BUT if I just use ACC, I have to scroll ways but they all show up in my library. As I said earlier, I have downloaded the volume on Hebrews for offline reading.
I hope this helps you.
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I just downloaded vol 11 and 12 in the NT part of the ACC.
They downloaded fine.
I am not sure why you are having problems with this Stephen. For me they work great. I know that is not a comfort for you though. All I can tell you is about my experience.
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Pr. Jacob,
I appreciate your soothing words and gentle spirit. It is true that "a soft answer turneth away wrath."
I am just deeply bothered by the fact that for the past few weeks I have been trying to rectify this problem I have been told to delete and reinstall the app and have done so four times. No small feat when it's the Portfolio Edition. I have lost a considerable amount of time following what is, now plainly, erroneous advice from Logos.
Additionally, how difficult would it be for a computer software company to send out a notice about such things to their customer base (those who have purchased a particular product)? I mean, isn't the ease of such a thing the whole argument for a computerized world? Since I frequently travel to areas where I have no access to the Internet, I bought into the whole Logos "buy once, view anywhere" spiel. On the whole, that is true. But, if Logos had only given me notice of the licensing problem, I might have made other arrangements to have access to the necessary data. (I do own the print set of ACC and might have used my iPhone to snap photos of the needed pages, for example.)
You are right, too, that we have come to expect increased rather than decreased functionality from Logos. On the whole, I applaud their work. But, saying they've done well in the past does not obviate the need for a well-deserved criticism in the present. I continually received advice about this problem that assumed the problem was on MY end. Now we see that it is the result of a licensing dispute between Logos and the copyright holder. How much time might I have saved had I only been told this initially?
I am a loyal Logos customer. Just last week, I demonstrated the software for the West Africa Theological Seminary in Lagos, Nigeria and several of its students. I believe in Logos.But I will hold them to the same high standard as a Microsoft, Adobe, or any other.
I guess what bothers me most is the attitude that this level of service is "good enough". Shades of Frankie Schaeffer's "Addicted to Mediocrity."
But I am done with my rant, now. Your gentle words have sent the beast within back to his lair.
Blessings on your day, tomorrow!
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Dear Kenneth Neighoff,
If you weren't a man I'd kiss you full on the mouth!
That little piece of advice has made them show up on my device. Now to download them quickly before they disappear, again!
Thank you!
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Stephen,
It does seem odd that the title does not show up, but the letters ACC does. But it also shows all books with ACC in the title. For me that is 254 books.
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Kenneth,
You must have an extensive Logos library. I have the Portfolio edition and still have just 114 resources showing when I search using "ACC" (without the quote marks).
Thanks again!
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Stephen,
I have the portfolio library. In my library I have 8,214 resources.
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It does seem odd that the title does not show up, but the letters ACC does. But it also shows all books with ACC in the title. For me that is 254 books.
Ok. I will give you a tip which may or may not work…
Logos has been working to migrate features of L4 over to the new sync infrastructure. Currently, you cannot use the syntax MyTag:[name of tag] from within the mobile app to produce results, but I believe that the tags are syncing… at least they are on mine. I am on the private beta channel, but my build is the same as the current release version, so I think it should work for you as well.
If you were to create a unique MyTag for the ACC (perhaps ACC-IVP ?), you should be able to type that MyTag (ACC-IVP) into the mobile app library and have only those resources show up. By filtering this way, you should be able to download just those resources via "download all." If I owned the ACC, I would try this for you. Sorry I can be of more help.
EDIT: You can verify that the tags are syncing by looking at the resource info panel from within the mobile app. Under the book cover, you should see the MyTags listed. Notice that the following resource has two MyTags applied - "Perseus" and "HistoryAmerican." By typing HistoryAmerican into the Library search, only books with the MyTag HistoryAmerican show up.
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Hmmm...
Even with the extra sets I've purchased (and the Perseus stuff thrown in) I only have 3714 on my computer and 3568 available to the iPhone.
Don't have anywhere near the number you have.
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I appreciate your soothing words and gentle spirit. It is true that "a soft answer turneth away wrath."
Praise God!
Jacob Hantla
Pastor/Elder, Grace Bible Church
gbcaz.org0 -
It does seem odd that the title does not show up, but the letters ACC does. But it also shows all books with ACC in the title. For me that is 254 books.
Ok. I will give you a tip which may or may not work…
Logos has been working to migrate features of L4 over to the new sync infrastructure. Currently, you cannot use the syntax MyTag:[name of tag] from within the mobile app to produce results, but I believe that the tags are syncing… at least they are on mine. I am on the private beta channel, but my build is the same as the current release version, so I think it should work for you as well.
If you were to create a unique MyTag for the ACC (perhaps ACC-IVP ?), you should be able to type that MyTag (ACC-IVP) into the mobile app library and have only those resources show up. By filtering this way, you should be able to download just those resources via "download all." If I owned the ACC, I would try this for you. Sorry I can be of more help.
EDIT: You can verify that the tags are syncing by looking at the resource info panel from within the mobile app. Under the book cover, you should see the MyTags listed. Notice that the following resource has two MyTags applied - "Perseus" and "HistoryAmerican." By typing HistoryAmerican into the Library search, only books with the MyTag HistoryAmerican show up.
Alabama,
Thanks for sharing this about the tags syncing. This will make sorting library for download purposes so much easier!
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Alabama24, that star of yours really gets a workout sometimes. Just passing through and wished to thank you.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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