Breaking the silence...?
So, is it just me or has it been awfully quiet in the SDA forums lately? 
Just thought I'd break the silence by asking:
- Are there any more SDA books coming soon down the pipeline? It's been a while since there has been anything new coming, or maybe I just haven't seen it?
- Any update on the higher SDA base packages and timing on those?
I just have to say that I love having as many SDA resources in Logos as possible. It's really nice to be able to search all my SDA resources first and get an Adventist perspective on issues I'm studying out before I look at the rest of the more general scholarship. It's nice to be grounded with what our scholars think first. I've found JATS especially helpful in this regard lately. So just wanted to post that encouragement to Martin and the rest of his team. Keep up the good work! It makes a huge difference in the lives of many SDA pastors (and their congregations) on a daily basis.
Comments
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Logos SDA is moving forward, for example we have a contract with ATS on Perspective Digest archives. But there are new protocols for getting contracts, since so many pre-pubs had to be cancelled for lack of support--not just SDA but across the board. Basically I need to come up with a business plan that plausibly predicts success before a contract is signed. That's just prudent stewardship on the part of the company--and also quite a challenge (again, not just for me but for my denominational colleagues).
Once under contract, the processing time for any new product takes quite a while.
Summarizing: I'm doing the best I can under various necessary constraints being a one-man responsible for everything that's Adventist here. Thanks for your support!
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Thanks for the update Martin.
Mission: To serve God as He desires.
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You are welcome!
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Martin, is it an alternative to get some SDA material into the Logos world as Vyrso-published resources instead, since they take a lot less time and money to process than proper Logos resources? Could for instance Pacific Press be interested in making large sections of their catalog available as Vyrso books?
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What you are describing is something that's technically and I think logically doable. But it represents a diversion from the concept of a Logos ecosystem in which everything is interlinked. The Vyrso books would obviously not be in that tagged format--and yet they would be at least readable and minimally searchable.
The traditional process for adding pre-pubs has been tightened in that I must comprise a business plan for each book that I bring into Logos--arguing persuasively that the book can 1) get it through pre-pub and 2) market enough to produce a reasonable profit above costs.
This discussion goes beyond our SDA line of products and is thus part of a larger strategy for the company moving forward. But I will see what I might be able to find out and tell you. Thanks, Reimar and all of you!
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Martin Weber said:
What you are describing is something that's technically and I think logically doable. But it represents a diversion from the concept of a Logos ecosystem in which everything is interlinked.
I would like to second Reimar's suggestion, I think it's a wonderful one. Personally, I have found that 9 times out of 10, the Vyrso tagging has been perfectly adequate. I really wish that Logos would implement a system where they could import Vyrso books by the masses at very little cost/time. If possible, a Vyrso to Logos upgrade process would be nice too, for when the funds and time are available to be invested.
Vyrso books automatically tag Bible verses, which to me is the most important feature anyway.
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Martin Weber said:
The traditional process for adding pre-pubs has been tightened in that I must comprise a business plan for each book that I bring into Logos--arguing persuasively that the book can 1) get it through pre-pub and 2) market enough to produce a reasonable profit above costs.
This discussion goes beyond our SDA line of products and is thus part of a larger strategy for the company moving forward. But I will see what I might be able to find out and tell you. Thanks, Reimar and all of you!
Yes, SDA, Catholic and Orthodox [[and maybe others]] all have NEEDED resources that MUST be available if Faithlife wants to grow that section. But the rules state that the resource MUST pass the Pre-Pub test. BIG PROBLEM: the current customers are the only ones that bid on Pre-Pub 'stuff'. They are the ones that have spent BIG BUCKS [[slang word for money]] on the current products and are out of available cash at this time.
So resources need to draw in new customers are not made available and Faithlife wonders why new customers don't join.
[[And Faithlife does not want to listen to their current customers trying real hard to list MUST HAVE resources to gain new customers. Forgetting that we - their current customers - are currently out of funds because we have been buying Logos resources or holding back waiting for Logos 7]]
[[Martin - Maybe you should add MJ Smith to your list of forum posters to read (if she is not already on your list) She says this much better then I do.]]
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Another problem is getting Publishing Presses to join in the fun. After the restructuring Pacific Press will need some time to decide which direction it wants to go.
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.
Mission: To serve God as He desires.
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ML Smith certainly has important things to say that always get my attention--even when there's nothing I can do directly about them.
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Indeed. Regarding Vyrso--I checked and (at the current time at least) the company remains committed to maintaining the high standard of completely interlinked resources within the Logos "ecosystem." This obviously minimizes the bundling of Vyrso products into promotions intended for the Logos library.
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Martin Weber said:
Indeed. Regarding Vyrso--I checked and (at the current time at least) the company remains committed to maintaining the high standard of completely interlinked resources within the Logos "ecosystem." This obviously minimizes the bundling of Vyrso products into promotions intended for the Logos library.
That's really too bad. While I do appreciate the "commitment to maintaining the high standard...", it's disappointing when that high standard limits our community from growing and being equipped as thoroughly as we otherwise could be. It sounds like they've made it very difficult to get new titles out the door. I was really excited to see the momentum that the SDA resources were gaining for a while and I've invested a lot of money into it. I just hope that this momentum can continue and not be stifled by a bottom dollar when there could be other options available. I'll admit I'm starting to get a little concerned about what I'm hearing regarding what the future of the Logos SDA community looks like. I hope we don't have to wait until the next GC session in order for the SDA market to look promising enough again to start publishing more Logos SDA publications.
I understand the tension between quality and quantity, but I guess I just don't understand why we can't have the best of both worlds by kinda doing what happened with the EGW writings. Get the content out there (in a Vyrso type format, remember Libronix?) so we can use it, and even pay for it (that should speak to those who care chiefly about the finances at Faithlife), and then upgrade/re-tag the content to a more full Logos format as time permits (it will already be paid for!).
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Martin Weber said:
Basically I need to come up with a business plan that plausibly predicts success before a contract is signed. That's just prudent stewardship on the part of the company--and also quite a challenge (again, not just for me but for my denominational colleagues).
May I ask you to consider integrating my above suggestion as part of your next business plan? Who knows, perhaps they will listen!
Especially if it is a suggestion coming from their loyal and well-paying customers! 
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Seems somewhat strange... since there are Kindle editions of some of our publications and if one goes to the online ABC you can find ebooks in .epub or .mobi formats.
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Adventist authors and publishers (here and internationally) do publish their own ebooks, which they obviously are eager to market in their own channels. It's easy to view Logos as a competitor more than a collaborator. And if Logos royalties are not up to expectations, authors/publishers are even less eager to work with us. The whole situation is extremely complex--more so with the latest stipulations for anything that goes into pre-pub. This is affecting not only the SDA line of business.
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