After waiting patiently after the Master Journal Bundle 2.1+ came out - not a lot has happened.
Where was the frequent release programme we were expecting.
Shalom
I believe at least the JETS were removed.
TO late I have moved on, thankful Galaxy has been there all along.
Thanks for the reference to galaxie. $5 a month seems great value
If I have the Master Journal Bundle, is there any reason to subscribe to Galaxie? I also have TJL 1-15 back when Galaxie offered it.
It also looks like we lost;
EX AUDITU
An International Journal for the Theological Interpretation of Scripture
I think so, they are by far more up to date than Logos.
If I have the Master Journal Bundle, is there any reason to subscribe to Galaxie? I also have TJL 1-15 back when Galaxie offered it. I think so, they are by far more up to date than Logos.
How is the search interface compared to Logos? Can I search for Scripture passages, headings, Scripture passages near a term, etc.? Since I use Nota Bene's Ibidim for my citation manager, I guess I can use Archiva to bring in the bibliographic records.
The journals maybe the single best addition to Logos. I have them and am very pleased.
wasnt there a quarterly plan for new journals? what happened?
That was FL's stated intention but they haven't been able to implement it.
I own plenty of journals in Logos plus BAR in another software.
This is where owning another software sometimes comes in handy. Not always ideal, but there are resources Logos has not been able to secure contracts with some publishers to bring their resources over to Logos (BAR, CARTA, etc.). I'm surprise The archaeological Bible has not made it in yet even though it's a Zondervan product.
I'm good though 👍
DAL
I hope they bring JETS back and start updating their masters theological journals.
So no news is bad news?
Yeah, I think selling journal bundles under the pretense that they will be updated quarterly and then not following through is a big mistake on someone's part. I certainly don't think Faithlife was purposely acting dishonestly, but it does seem as though the whole process was a disorganized mess with poor planning and execution. For the record, I would have bought all of the journals either way, but I was looking forward to having them regularly updated. This should be a priority, especially considering the updates were a major selling point.
So no news is bad news? Yeah, I think selling journal bundles under the pretense that they will be updated quarterly and then not following through is a big mistake on someone's part. I certainly don't think Faithlife was purposely acting dishonestly, but it does seem as though the whole process was a disorganized mess with poor planning and execution. For the record, I would have bought all of the journals either way, but I was looking forward to having them regularly updated. This should be a priority, especially considering the updates were a major selling point.
Kind of like Logos Now having 6 week cycles to release new stuff. For now, I did not renew, but probably will next year.
I'll let Phil chime in (again):
Phil Gons (Faithlife) | Forum Activity | Replied: Thu, Mar 17 2016 10:28 PM
The response to the first round of journal bundles was really positive. Based on that, we planned to do quarterly updates, where we'd add the latest volumes/issues from the existing journals and any new journals we'd licensed since the last update. But this is proving to be too much too quickly for enough customers to keep funding journal production at that pace. We'd still love to ship quarterly updates, but I think we're going to have to be more intentional about how many new journals (as opposed to updates to existing journals) we add each quarter to ensure that the price is workable for enough people's budgets.
We're digging in to what it would take to cover the deficit and ship 2.1, and we're also planning to try smaller releases each quarter moving forward.
Question: What is your budget for journals? Knowing this will help us decide how to pace our acquisition and development. Take this short survey to help us decide.
I'll let Phil chime in (again): Phil Gons (Faithlife) | Forum Activity | Replied: Thu, Mar 17 2016 10:28 PM The response to the first round of journal bundles was really positive. Based on that, we planned to do quarterly updates, where we'd add the latest volumes/issues from the existing journals and any new journals we'd licensed since the last update. But this is proving to be too much too quickly for enough customers to keep funding journal production at that pace. We'd still love to ship quarterly updates, but I think we're going to have to be more intentional about how many new journals (as opposed to updates to existing journals) we add each quarter to ensure that the price is workable for enough people's budgets. We're digging in to what it would take to cover the deficit and ship 2.1, and we're also planning to try smaller releases each quarter moving forward. Question: What is your budget for journals? Knowing this will help us decide how to pace our acquisition and development. Take this short survey to help us decide.
The problem is that the original journal bundles did well under the pretense that the updates would be forthcoming. This response from Phil posits a number of likely scenarios which would be implemented, yet NONE of them have been implemented. It almost seems as though the journal situation got so overwhelming that it was simply dropped. I hope that these get back on track sooner than later.
When it comes to FL this is par for the course, so many things get promised but never properly executed and followed through with to maturity and just get dropped without a word because they have moved onto the next big marketing idea to sell us the next version of the product.
I'll let Phil chime in (again): Phil Gons (Faithlife) | Forum Activity | Replied: Thu, Mar 17 2016 10:28 PM The response to the first round of journal bundles was really positive. Based on that, we planned to do quarterly updates, where we'd add the latest volumes/issues from the existing journals and any new journals we'd licensed since the last update. But this is proving to be too much too quickly for enough customers to keep funding journal production at that pace. We'd still love to ship quarterly updates, but I think we're going to have to be more intentional about how many new journals (as opposed to updates to existing journals) we add each quarter to ensure that the price is workable for enough people's budgets. We're digging in to what it would take to cover the deficit and ship 2.1, and we're also planning to try smaller releases each quarter moving forward. Question: What is your budget for journals? Knowing this will help us decide how to pace our acquisition and development. Take this short survey to help us decide. The problem is that the original journal bundles did well under the pretense that the updates would be forthcoming. This response from Phil posits a number of likely scenarios which would be implemented, yet NONE of them have been implemented. It almost seems as though the journal situation got so overwhelming that it was simply dropped. I hope that these get back on track sooner than later.
dropped without a word
The last update from FL was March 2. I happen to agree with all that everyone has written. It is proper for FL to respond to let us know what is going on. We were told there would be updates to the journals. The silence is communicating a lot.
dropped without a word The last update from FL was March 2. I happen to agree with all that everyone has written. It is proper for FL to respond to let us know what is going on. We were told there would be updates to the journals. The silence is communicating a lot.
We are still working on this project. I'm sorry it keeps getting pushed back. However, we now have one person who will own the project going forward, which means it won't have to fight for the attention of multiple stakeholders.
Thanks for the update Ben!
Thanks Ben. Would you please suggest that he/she be introduced to this thread. Communication is key to keeping customers informed and happy.
dropped without a word The last update from FL was March 2. I happen to agree with all that everyone has written. It is proper for FL to respond to let us know what is going on. We were told there would be updates to the journals. The silence is communicating a lot. We are still working on this project. I'm sorry it keeps getting pushed back. However, we now have one person who will own the project going forward, which means it won't have to fight for the attention of multiple stakeholders.
Thanks! Take your time. Most are not using their journals anyway 😁 It's true 👍
This is great news! Thanks Ben!
Yes Thank you for the update Ben. Please bring JETS back and if possible make it possible to buy smaller chunks of journals for those of us who don't want to buy one massive $500+ journal bundle.
Thanks for the update, Ben! I have a good amount of journals to keep me busy for the moment (and I may join Galaxie just to have a backup copy of all the latest journals), so no major rush, although journals are important to us academic users.
@Mattillo One option for ETS while you wait for FL to re-offer them might be ETSJets.org. $30 for non students and $15 for students per year gets you online access to JETS. Not as luxurious as Logos, but I've used it for access to JETS when the stuff wasn't in Logos yet.
Thanks!
Hope this project comes to fruition soon, but like Nathan Parker I have more than enough to keep me occupied for now.
I realize this is Oxford and they don't always play well, but I would very much like to see Journal of Theological Studies made available in Logos. It can't happen soon enough, but affordable, please. I need the last 20-30 years.
What!!!! $42 USD for a 24hr short term access to an article? Does a gold ring come included with it? No way José!!! They're crazy and the article contributes ZERO to my salvation! They don't play well, really? I think that's an understatement! They're crazy 😜
Journals, current journals, are essential to research, and, in my opinion, essential to Logos! Not all of us who use Logos are resident in an academic institution where journals are at hand. Having access in my Logos library is the original reason I chose Logos and it's still most needed! Please expedite journals!
Please expedite journals!
This is never going to happen. You can search the forums for my other posts on journals and you can see what is currently available. There are now journals not available in Logos, you have to go to other software. Prices have gone up what is available, and when the finally get released it is far slower that what Galaxie used to offer. We were promised updates on a quicker schedule, that has been pushed back much further than is really necessary.
I recommend that if you need journals, you move outside the Logos ecosystem. I personally have a yearly subscription to Galaxie.
I wonder what the issue is
I wonder what the issue is No new journals, no volumes, no issues.
FAIthLife jumping into an idea to quickly without fully understanding the implications.
Journals should have been left in the hands of Galaxie, good intentions do not make journals accessible to FL customers and quite possibly has burned some bridges.
Let's back the truck a bit.
There's two different journal purchasers. One is happy to buy periodically for article-specific searches. That's me. I don't need recent journals, but a grouping now and then is great. Done deal.
Then there's the folks needing a steady recent-issue diet.
Phil seems to struggle with the size of the latter. Is it sustainable?
At the moment no grouocis getting anything like Galaxie used to be able to produce. The addition CT seems to be the consolation prize for missing out on everything else.
Let's back the truck a bit. There's two different journal purchasers. One is happy to buy periodically for article-specific searches. That's me. I don't need recent journals, but a grouping now and then is great. Done deal. Then there's the folks needing a steady recent-issue diet. Phil seems to struggle with the size of the latter. Is it sustainable?
I'm not a large journal purchaser at all but there are certain journals I'd like to purchase without being forced to buy some massive set. I do hope it gets fixed one day. I'd love to see JETS come back as well as master's seminary back in the mix. If also like to update my bibliotheca sacra set
Here's something I'd like to see...
I'd like for Faithlife to re-team up with Galaxie Software to add a guide section to Logos that would pull in web searches of Galaxie's journals website into Logos like it does for SermonCentral, etc. It would still require a Galaxie subscription to ensure full access to the results. Faithlife can still work to get journals back into Logos whether it wants to continue to direct-license them or re-strike a deal with Galaxie to provide the content licenses (and Faithlife can still handle the tagging of the journals).
This would give people the best of both worlds: Full Logos editions of journals whenever they're produced and access to the latest journals direct from Galaxie but still accessible from guides within Logos.
Some merit Nathan in what you are suggesting but for a major flaw - I would be paying twice. I'm not prepared to pay twice so FL would be adding to the software another web service for which they receive no return. I am prepared to pay either Galaxie or FL but not both to get the same content on differevt time frames and there would be no urgency for FL to deliver.
Here's something I'd like to see... I'd like for Faithlife to re-team up with Galaxie Software to add a guide section to Logos that would pull in web searches of Galaxie's journals website into Logos like it does for SermonCentral, etc. It would still require a Galaxie subscription to ensure full access to the results. Faithlife can still work to get journals back into Logos whether it wants to continue to direct-license them or re-strike a deal with Galaxie to provide the content licenses (and Faithlife can still handle the tagging of the journals). This would give people the best of both worlds: Full Logos editions of journals whenever they're produced and access to the latest journals direct from Galaxie but still accessible from guides within Logos.
Some merit Nathan in what you are suggesting but for a major flaw - I would be paying twice. I'm not prepared to pay twice so FL would be adding to the software another web service for which they receive no return. I am prepared to pay either Galaxie or FL but not both to get the same content on differevt time frames and there would be no urgency for FL to deliver. Here's something I'd like to see... I'd like for Faithlife to re-team up with Galaxie Software to add a guide section to Logos that would pull in web searches of Galaxie's journals website into Logos like it does for SermonCentral, etc. It would still require a Galaxie subscription to ensure full access to the results. Faithlife can still work to get journals back into Logos whether it wants to continue to direct-license them or re-strike a deal with Galaxie to provide the content licenses (and Faithlife can still handle the tagging of the journals). This would give people the best of both worlds: Full Logos editions of journals whenever they're produced and access to the latest journals direct from Galaxie but still accessible from guides within Logos.
True, and I probably could have worded it better that this would give people the "option" of the best of both worlds. For those who certainly don't wait to pay twice, they'll have to make a major decision: wait for Faithlife to deliver journals inside Logos if they want to continue to have full-fledged journals in Logos no matter how long the wait, or subscribe to Galaxie and always get the latest journals, and while still web-based, there'd be some basic access in Logos through the guides for those who decide to go the subscription route.
I'll probably subscribe to Galaxie to ensure I'm current with journals since I'm in the academic field and need them current, and I'll likely bite the bullet and pay up twice for full Logos journals since I'm more used to performing journal searches in Logos, that's when/if Faithlife gets the new journal options added. :-)
We love using the journals as much you all of you do!
We're working on a new posting schedule for journals at this very moment. In the next week or two, we should have that new calendar schedule for regular posting of new journals. We also have a new update to the journal bundles coming down the pipeline.
The plan moving forward is more consistency and we definitely want to make sure that we can keep up with new issues as they come.
I haven't bought any journals for years because Logos has STONEWALLED the two journals I have wanted for the last decade or so. If they get the Oxford journal I mentioned above (JTS), or VT & NT, then I will buy more.
We also have a new update to the journal bundles coming down the pipeline.
[Y]
We love using the journals as much you all of you do! We're working on a new posting schedule for journals at this very moment. In the next week or two, we should have that new calendar schedule for regular posting of new journals. We also have a new update to the journal bundles coming down the pipeline. The plan moving forward is more consistency and we definitely want to make sure that we can keep up with new issues as they come.
This is good news! If possible please makes smaller bundles too so it is easier for non journal owners to jump into the mix. I hope JETS makes it back and I'd love to see Masters seminary back too.
Here's another suggestion for Faithlife...
I understand that Faithlife likes to control the as much of the Logos experience as possible.
Faithlife thought that it could license journals outside of Galaxie and offer a higher quality experience at a lower cost by going it alone.
Unfortunately, as we've seen, it didn't work out too well. Faithlife is now extremely behind in journal releases compared to going for a Galaxie subscription or dealing with other Bible software platforms (one other platform remains pretty much current with Galaxie, and the other platform is in the process of getting current with Galaxie's offering at the moment).
Here's the ideal solution should Faithlife wish to go for it.
1. Go back to Galaxie for the licensing of TJL. Offer a TJL 16-20 upgrade for those of us who own 1-15, and begin offering TJL each year. From what I know, the bridge between Galaxie and Faithlife hasn't been burned, and Galaxie would likely be open to a licensing deal with Faithlife.
2. Allow Faithlife to handle the additional tagging of the journals so the citations are fully built out (I know citations in TJL in the past as a little weak), plus add the additional tagging to allow them to show up in the journals section of the guide.
3. In terms of pricing, I'd be willing to pay a little more for the new TJL library upgrades each year for the extra tagging provided Faithlife kept the TJL upgrades rolling. Galaxie is $50/year for the website (and TJL was $50/year in Logos). I'd be willing to pay about $70-75/year for the extra tagging in TJL to ensure I had current journals in Logos that had fully built citations and integrated with journals in the guide.
4. For the journals that Galaxie doesn't offer (what Faithlife offered in the Master Journal Bundles), it could still go out directly to those journal publishes and negotiate for them (although I use TJL the most), possibly even offering TJL+those journals in a new Master Journal Bundle.
Galaxie is pretty much the experts at getting licensing on TJL. I think it'd be worth it for Faithlife to work with them again for the journal licensing, then do the tagging in-house.
Nathan,
I don't think Faithlife thought they could produce these at the same price as Galaxie. Galaxie never did fix all there errors, It became impossible for what they were charging to invest too much into the product. They used volunteers to produce the older back issues of Bib Sac and that didn't turn out so well.
Logos decided to go it alone mainly for one reason "Quality Control", but of course there were other reasons as well, such as the ability of tag the resources as they required them for use with new features. If they had stayed with Galaxie we never would have had the Journal guide feature in the passage guide. It just would have been cost prohibitive at the prices Galaxie was charging, for them to go back and redo their whole catalog.
I think asking to get all that tagging on Vol 16 to 20 for an extra 25.00 is extremely unrealistic to expect. Galaxie had a decent product for a very cheap price, and some have been spoiled by that, but I think for the Logos ecosystem those days are long gone.
Galaxie had a decent product for a very cheap price, and some have been spoiled by that, but I think for the Logos ecosystem those days are long gone.
I will not be surprised if there are quite a number of us who would be happy to see Nathan's suggestions put into practice. Glad to hear that the bridge was not burned on Galaxie's side.
By the way, I wanted to clarify that my willingness to pay $20-25 extra would be for each new TJL library released every year, not for the 16-20 bundle. I know the 16-20 bundle would cost more to tag, so I'd be willing to pay extra for the tagging of that bundle (if Faithlife would be able to keep with my pricing scheme above, that'd equal out to about $125 extra on top of the price of the 16-20 bundle, and I'd be willing to pay even a little more than that for the extra tagging if needed just to have 16-20 in Logos).
The original goal when Faithlife stepped outside of Galaxie and went at it alone (or at least what I got out of it) was better quality and a lower cost than Galaxie (since they could direct license the journals instead of paying Galaxie for the licenses). There was even a "TJL Upgrade Bundle" that Logos offered under this new approach, and with my dynamic pricing, I paid about $35 or $40 for the bundle (I can't remember exactly), so it did come out to be less than what Galaxie offered (although I think it was missing one or two titles that Galaxie offered which was a drawback).
In this case, if Faithlife can secure ongoing licensing with Galaxie so we're guaranteed TJL again every year, then impose a reasonable cost on top of it to add in the tagging for the journals guide section, better citations, and overall better quality, then I see it being a huge hit with all of us. I'm also willing to pay an additional cost to get 16-20 into Logos and to have those tagged and up-to-quality as well, even if it added to the price of that bundle.
I appreciate that Faithlife wants to offer us quality journals, and I know from Faithlife's business model why they tried to go it alone, and their efforts were noble. They just haven't worked at delivering up-to-date journals, and sticking with securing licensing from the journal licensing experts then putting the additional effort in tagging and produce a product that is more than what we paid in the past but still reasonable enough to get the additional quality and tagging would ensure we get the best experience overall.
The TJL journals are some of the main tools I've used in Logos and besides a base package, my single best investment I've made in Logos. I'm also most comfortable with the search engine in Logos and can perform power searches on the journals I couldn't easily replicate in other Bible platforms or the Galaxie website (it takes multiple steps for me to do what I can do in one step in Logos). It's the reason I'm willing to keep investing in TJL in Logos should Faithlife work it out to offer it again, as TJL is absolutely essential to the biblical academic research I do.
