Logos Is Too Expensive

I had quick verse also for years also and can tell you that there is no comparison. You can purchase the  scholars package for about $300 more and get a tool with features that no other bible program offers in one package.

Joel Reed said:

I can't help but feel like much of the discussion here has been wasted, because most of the users on this forum have been long time buyers of Logos software and will obviously defend their decision to buy the program. I don't mean to be rude, but my family runs on a single income, and my wife stays at home to school our little boy

Joel, I don't think it's that. My wife and I are on a single income as well, though we don't have children (unfortunately). The simple fact is that for quite a few of us (including myself), the pricing of Logos resources, and the convenience of the massive information architecture in which they arrive, is overwhelmingly cheaper and more useful than the truly ridiculous prices we used to pay for academic works in print.

Joel Reed said:

I think one of my biggest beefs with Logos is the fact that they are taking up such a large share of the Christian Software market when it could instead be filled with something much better, like an Open Source Bible Program.

No one is going to publish academic works from Brill, Continuum, and Sheffield, in an open source Bible program. The licensing fees for these academic titles would destroy them.

Joel Reed said:

Perhaps my point is getting a bit off topic, but I always thought Christians were supposed to gather together to make our community of believers stronger by working together towards a goal.

I see Logos doing that admirably.

Joel Reed said:

Unfortunately all I see is a secular company monopolizing on the Christian buyers market.

Logos is popular because it's incredibly more affordable than most of the alternatives people have. However, Logos has no power to enforce its market presence; it doesn't have a monopoly, it just has a very well earned dominant market share.

Milford Charles Murray said:

My wife and I bought our Pastor the first Logos package a couple of years ago, then helped him (several times!) upgrade extensively into a much more powerful Logos with lots of bells and whistles.  It will take years yet until he can complete what he wants and needs......  But, it's in the works  .....        *smile*

An often forgotten point as it seems everyone wants to start with one of the big packages, it's taken me 16 years to build a Logos collection of 6,680 resources I started with Level 2 in 1996 and progressed via Pastor's, Silver and Gold to Platinum always adding other items as I went. There have been a few big ticket items along the way but most of my transactions were less than £30 and my average spend has been £12 per week.

The same principle applies to my collection of guitars, amps and music related equipment that has taken me years to acquire people see it and want it all now but it would simply cost too much as a one off purchase... I'd be broke and single if I spent that much money in one go...

I know that if I was new to Logos today I could not afford to start at where I am today, I just don't have the cash but, based on my experience, I'd start the journey so that I can eventually have the library I aspire to.

James Chandler said:

Personally I think whether an item is too expensive or not is a subjective thing.  Joel feels it's to expensive for him.  That's fine.

I agree that this is a very personal issue it just seems to me that the expectations of some new users are simply unrealistic. I looked at some of the alternatives, at a point in time when Logos 4 was frustrating me like crazy, and concluded that to rebuild what I need out of what I have (if that makes sense) would require a similar investment with the only real difference being what I call the filler material. I also concluded that Open Source was not an option for the range of materials I want/need.

I would personally be more inclined to agree if Joel had said that the Logos entry point for serious/prospective scholars is too high! Personally, my development has mapped quite well to the Logos structure and the 'lighter' materials suited me at the beginning. I think that there could be room for a Scholars Essentials with some core Language Tools, a good set of commentaries and very little 'fluff' at the low end but that is a slightly different debate.

Super Tramp said:

I sold off 26 of my guitars and put the money into Logos resources.

I am in awe!!! Now to go completely off topic...

How did you decide what to keep?

As my collection grew I did a little pruning and decided I wanted versatility and needed to avoid duplicate sounds, I ended up at 6:

My work horse is a Takamine EN10c, well worn and over used but I love it.

My favourite is a Yamaha AEX1500 designed in conjunction with Martin Taylor, warm Jazz plus a Piezo.

For Nylon its a Yamaha APX10NA, great for handling the solos in a musically conservative Church setting. 

Proper rock is a Yamaha MSG Deluxe, twin humbuckers, coil taps, whammy bar, heavy like a Les Paul, shaped like a mini 335. Probably my most versatile guitar, I can almost get a Tele sound out of it at least one that would fool a non guitarist!

When I'm not quite sure what I need its a Yamaha SA800, I love semis, this is the last of my Yamaha's when I was 18 I said I would never own a Yamaha guitar because they were too clinical and sterile, wisdom came with age plus I think they got some better designers.

Finally the single coil stuff is covered by a Fender Squire Tele from 82, classic butterscotch and part of the second batch built in Japan for Fender using genuine US hardware. Its awesome, did not cost a lot and is the only guitar I have that is worth a lot more than I paid for it. Had to rewire it as it had the capacitor fitted for really woolly sounds. Main reason for having a Tele is that I have never found a Strat that could tempt my credit card out of my wallet. I came close 3 times but so far have resisted. Never say never though.

The acid test has always been can Barbara, my wife, hear the difference when I switch guitar. She is very musical, a great singer and objective. This collection pasts the test...

Graham Owen said:

How did you decide what to keep?

Most were easy to let go of. My autographed guitars (QUEEN, Genesis, Supertramp) brought lots of $ for Logos and I never played them anyway. Other guitars were sold to famous people who play them better than I  only regret selling the Gibson ES135, a Morris jazz hollow-body and a Morris neck-thru solid body. My "keepers" are:

1. Morris 12-string
2. Morris 6-string cutaway finger-picking Martin strings
3. Fender Squire Bullet w/custom neck & Burns Tri-Sonic pups
4. Morris Les Paul custom boutique over-wound pups potted in beeswax, switches in/out of phase, treble boosted

I have also parted with tools, cars, home studio equip and lots of books. I have been very happy with the Logos resources I got in the "trades." [:D]

If a fellow has nothing to sell off he can eat ramen noodles for a year and swing some of the food budget to Logos. There are no fat kids in my house.[6]

Joel said:

Thanks for all the great replies people ... regardless of how I might still feel I actually learned quite a lot by some of your responses.

Peace to you, Joel!                                 God Bless you and your Loved ones richly!                       Thank you for coming back to this thread to bid all a friendly and truly gentle and humble (in a Christian sense!) Fare Well!                                                  *smile*                            

                                                Much appreciated!                                            

Just my two cents.

Yes some packages are not really useful. Why don't just download the Logos4 base package and then order whatever you think is useful?

Business is business they need to pay the employees, benefits, tax...etc

I spent couple years to build up my library and almost spent $20000.00

If you cannot afford Logos why don't try Bibleworks, e-sword...etc

E-Sword is pretty good and they have a lot of resources if you go to this webpage:

http://www.biblesupport.com/

For example you need to pay around couple hundred dollars on Lange commentary in Logos but e-sword is free for you and also a lot of useful exegetical commentaries.

just my 2-cent

Kelvin

Kelvin Chiu said:

E-Sword is pretty good and they have a lot of resources if you go to this webpage:

I think I will go over to that website and post the Logos Free Book of the Month. And then I will post a ditty about the FREE Perseus library. Andd maybe something about free Vyrso books.....

Then I will let all the users know my per book cost for 10,000+ Logos books was less than $4. That included NICOT/NICNT, Lange's and Zondervan's.

I just don't get why users can't afford $4 a book and why WS, QV, and BW can't match it. 

Marcus G. said:

What a great tread!

So step on it.  [:)]

Super Tramp said:

I just don't get why users can't afford $4 a book 

Neither, do I

Super Tramp said:

and why WS, QV, and BW can't match it. 

I don't know anything about WS or QV, but as for BW their marketing strategy is very different from everyone else so this is like comparing apples with oranges. They sell only one basic product with the 'works' which includes actual manuscript images, new transcriptions and a lot more and a few add modules for those whom need it. It really all depends on what one wants, if it is a growing theological library (with exegetical resources) then no one can beat Logos! If, on the other hand one isn't interested in building a library, and doesn't care about having commentaries (which BW as a matter of principle doesn't offer), and they only want great exegetical tools then I think BW is far cheaper then anyone else out there.

(But keep in mind BW is not trying to match Logos in the sale of commentaries and christian fictional works. BW is strictly an original language resource suite)

I speak as one who owns (or rather have acquired license for) Logos4 OL (with a lot of add ons), the Libronix SESB 3, and BW9 (and finds high value in all three software platforms!).  And, I can tell you that:

Logos4 is not too expensive for those who want the widest range of modern resources and exegetical tools.  No, one else comes even half way close to offering what Logos does.

I am way late to this conversation, but the idea that Logos is too expensive is just an excuse. It lives and dies around shopping. The real goal is doing careful Bible study for the defense and proclamation of the Gospel. 

When I decided to plunge ahead to get Logos 4 Scholar, I really couldn't afford it and asked my pastor and the board to pray for me if this was really something I should do. They agreed with my decision. And someone heard that decision and sent me a check for the full amount.

I came so late to this topic, but I think that the words of Michael are the best to describe it.

It's not too expensive as most of the people wrote here...

Joel Reed said:

The more I think about, the more I realize that I don't actually want a lot of the resources Logos offers with their packages. (Such as 'The Message' translation ... that's about as lame and heretical as it gets) 

Arius, Pelagius and Eugene Peterson?

Sogol said:

Joel Reed said:

The more I think about, the more I realize that I don't actually want a lot of the resources Logos offers with their packages. (Such as 'The Message' translation ... that's about as lame and heretical as it gets) 

Arius, Pelagius and Eugene Peterson?

Add to that the KJV translators.

DMB said:

If you look in your Logos resource 'Heretics of the Early Church' (rev version), that third one is listed as in the late 6th century CE explaining why he's not discussed by the early church fathers.

Yes, I believe he was condemned at one of the ecumenical councils, but the Fathers "forgot" to record it because they were secretly fans of his other books on prayer and ministry.......

.... and for the record, I love Eugene Peterson.

George Somsel said:

Sogol said:

Joel Reed said:

The more I think about, the more I realize that I don't actually want a lot of the resources Logos offers with their packages. (Such as 'The Message' translation ... that's about as lame and heretical as it gets) 

Arius, Pelagius and Eugene Peterson?

 

I understand that you may not like Peterson's translation, but unless you have a considerable amount of Greek and Hebrew in your resumè, I suggest that you have no qualification to speak on the subject.  Not liking a translation is not a reason to condemn it as "heretical."  Perhaps you are the heretic (The meaning of αἱρετικός is "one causing divisions, disputatious). 

Peace to you, George!                Do you think perhaps you've made a mistake here in your condemnation???     As I read this thread, I do not think that "Sogol" deserves your disapprobations.   I thought he was speaking with some humour!!?? 

                                    Perhaps you read too quickly - and engaged your mind before letting out the clutch?               *smile*

Sorry if I've offended you, George. I do love Eugene Peterson an have even met him. That's why I found it humorous and ridiculous to compare him to an early heretic. I guess it wasn't clear that I was kidding. Again, my apologies.

Sogol said:

Sorry if I've offended you, George. I do love Eugene Peterson an have even met him. That's why I found it humorous and ridiculous to compare him to an early heretic. I guess it wasn't clear that I was kidding. Again, my apologies.

The problem is that there are some who really feel that way.  I noted nothing to indicate that you were joking so I assumed you were serious.  I get tired of people who claim that the KJV is the only bible to use or the ASV or that The Message is … whatever, but negative since rarely do they have any qualifications to judge.  The Message is a relatively decent, if somewhat offbeat, translation which therefore isn't for everyone.  Users have a right to say "I prefer this translation" or "I prefer that translation", but, when they aren't qualified to judge the quality of the work, they shouldn't attempt to judge its correctness or lack thereof.  Sorry if I misjudged you, but I had no clue.  Let me know next time by a smilie or something—please.

Sogol said:

Sorry if I've offended you, George. I do love Eugene Peterson an have even met him. That's why I found it humorous and ridiculous to compare him to an early heretic. I guess it wasn't clear that I was kidding. Again, my apologies.

 

              Even George can be in error?!!!??  I appreciated your humour.

               BTW, I'm not sure what emotions George felt at your post; however "offended" is not likely to be one of his reactions!    

   St. Paul was speaking sarcastically when he talked about "suffering fools gladly"       2 Corinthians 11:19 KJV        ....             seeing how "truly wise we are"!!!!  

      Is that sarcasm like the FaithLife Study Bible states?                    I think FSB actually got it right, eh ....                             Great study Bible!                *smile*                Indeed!                    and free also!

                                          Peace to you!      ...   and ...  Incredible Joy in the Lord!

Milford Charles Murray said:

Peace, Sogol!                        You were "crystal clear" to me   ....     all along.         You did communicate well!              *smile*

Thanks, Milford. Peace to you as well!