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by Mark Rice

BIBLE SOFTWARE: GENERAL COMPARISON ANALYSIS (1997-2001)

Having been a consultant in this arena for several years, and having talked with (or read notes from) several thousand customers, I conclude that the Bible Software market has been solidifying over 1995-1997, and will take this shape, with these three (or five) products covering quite well the various strata of customer needs, without too much overlap. These three products are well integrated, but the integration varies in focus. I view these products as complementary, not directly competitive, and supporting the user at different levels of his needs and experience.

For example, Logos would be like the Christian Bookshelf Library that every Bible student may need access to, BUT Logos should be viewed as complementing and supporting PC Study Bible (primary tool for basic Bible study) or BibleWorks (the primary tool for exegetical Bible study, and, of course, more than capable enough, and simple enough to use for basic Bible study). I see customers moving freely between these three products as their needs and experience develop. All these companies and most of their discount re-seller outlets advertise now on the Internet World Wide Web.

And please NOTE that Windows' multi-tasking enables effective usage of two or more software programs on your screen at the same time.

PC STUDY BIBLE CD-ROM (from Biblesoft) (with contenders: QuickVerse by Parsons & WordSearch by NavPress & Bible Explorer by Epiphany, and also the low cost Online Bible DOS/WIN/MAC from Answers in Genesis)

• Par excellence for the beginner/layman

• Main strength is simplification

• Bibles with Strong's/Young's type word studies, concording, commentaries, maps, outlines, devotionals

• Main audience: laymen (anyone), and non-professionals (i.e. youth pastors, most evangelists, many Bible college students)

• Key words: "simple, inductive interface"

LOGOS (from Logos Research Systems, and Thomas Nelson & other book publishers) (with contenders: the alternate-standard STEP [QuickVerse & WordSearch, and Zondervan & other book publishers]; and the almost-standard Adobe Acrobat [AGES Master Christian Library] and also Folio Views based interfaces [several, specialized])

• Par excellence for intermediate use and for Christian library research and browsing and data collection

• Main strength is standardization

• Bibles and vast array of Reference Works and Commentaries

• Main audience: wide range at all levels; those who "have or want a Biblical library or a Christian Encarta"

• Key words: "Christian electronic publishing and library"

BIBLEWORKS 

• Par excellence for the exegete and expositor, and those learning to be capable in exegesis and exposition and linguistics, applying the principles of Biblical hermeneutics

• Designed for busy pastors, students, teachers, and missionaries

• Main strength is customization and centering on the original Greek and Hebrew, and yet easy to use, flexible, and productive

• Bibles (24 languages) and select set of Reference Works with support tools; Version 4.0 BibleWorks has over 100 books total at a low price

• Greek NT, Hebrew OT, LXX; each with every word tagged grammatically (morphologically, sometimes also with syntax information) and with every word connected to one or more complete or abridged lexicons (5 Greek and 3 Hebrew lexicons/dictionaries)

• Main audience: professionals and those wanting the best tools [who deal closely with the Biblical text: pastors, teachers, seminary students and some Bible college students, certain missionaries, scholars, translators, those learning languages]

• Key words: "Bible textual linguistic exegetical productivity tools"

Well, I hope this is clear. May God use our works for the strengthening and edification of His Kingdom, His Body, His people.

Your co-worker and co-servant for Jesus Christ,

Mark Rice, owner of HERMENEUTIKA 

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