Bibleworks 8 Launched

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bened

Puritan Board Freshman
FYI for BWphiles in our midst.

Here's a snippet from the launch announcement. (Link to full announcement and ordering info below.)

BibleWorks News


BibleWorks 8 Has Launched!

New tools and essential references offer unequaled exegetical capabilities for enriched research of the Biblical text.

BibleWorks has launched version 8 with a tremendous array of innovative tools, essential resources and interactive capabilities! Now users can have more Bible translations (190+), 35 original language texts and morphology databases, 29 lexical-grammatical references, plus a wealth of practical reference works, giving them tightly integrated databases with powerful morphology and analysis tools.
 
How much?

Ooops, just saw it -- $349!

I have GramCord already on my computer. It's nice, but not as nice as BW obviously. It cost about 1/3 as much as BW. Would dropping $350 on BW be worth it if I already have something remotely similar?
 
How much?

Ooops, just saw it -- $349!

I have GramCord already on my computer. It's nice, but not as nice as BW obviously. It cost about 1/3 as much as BW. Would dropping $350 on BW be worth it if I already have something remotely similar?

I hear you. The upgrade isn't too bad, $149 from BW7 and $175 from BW6 and before.

Personally, I've heard great things about gramcord and know D.A. Carson backs it.

But I don't have gramcord and have never used it, but have used BW for years. Even so, for working quickly and efficiently w/the text, it's worth it - at least to me. The upgrade price, for those who have it now, makes it a no-brainer.

I'm really excited about the new context capabilities they're adding to it. I've upgraded since around version 3 or thereabouts and haven't regretted it once - though having to learn the new twists on something I've got half-way figured out usually gives me pause.

I think they give you something like a 90-day, no-risk trial. So, if you tried it and still like gramcord, you're out nothing and still got to take the new BW8 for a spin.

Would also be a great Christmas gift for a church to give to its pastor/teaching elder. (Hint-hint for those of you in a position to influence such things in thy fellowship.)
 
How much?

Ooops, just saw it -- $349!

I have GramCord already on my computer. It's nice, but not as nice as BW obviously. It cost about 1/3 as much as BW. Would dropping $350 on BW be worth it if I already have something remotely similar?

I hear you. $350 is more than a decent sum. But the upgrade isn't too bad, $149 from BW7 and $175 from BW6 and before.

Personally, I've heard great things about gramcord and know D.A. Carson backs it, which is no small endorsement.

But I don't have gramcord and have never used it, but have used BW for years. Even so, for working quickly and efficiently w/the text, it's worth it - at least to me. The upgrade price, for those who have it now, makes it a no-brainer.

I'm really excited about the new context capabilities they're adding to it. I've upgraded since around version 3 or thereabouts and haven't regretted it once - though having to learn the new twists on something I've got half-way figured out usually gives me pause.

I think they give you something like a 90-day, no-risk trial. So, if you tried it and still like gramcord, you're out nothing and still got to take the new BW8 for a spin.

For an expository preacher, which I'm assuming you are or you wouldn't have gramcord, it's a huge help and worth the investment - or at least giving it a trial run, then you make the call after that.

Would also be a great Christmas gift for a church to give to its pastor/teaching elder. (Hint-hint for those of you in a position to influence such things in thy fellowship.)
 
I have BW7. LOVE IT! My question is: If you have 7 is there really $150 worth of new goodies that would make the upgrade worth the money (and the time learning a new layout)? I am not sure if there would be.
 
Gramcord does everything I need it to do, really. It has several translations (but not the ESV; I bought it around 2002 and I think that was too early for ESV to be a translation offered). The search features are sophisticated enough that I don't know how to use them all. It offers both TR and NA Greek texts, but there is no critical apparatus. It includes several Greek tools: Louw-Nida, BDB. Thayers, etc.

One of my complaints is that Gramcord is prone to crashing. On one of our computers, it stopped working altogether (it takes a while to install b/c of various codes to "unlock" it, and since I don't use that computer very much anymore, I never reinstalled it). Sometimes it crashes if you do a word search and try to skip to the end (apparently this goes too fast, even though it's supposed to be a feature). I must say, though, that overall it's a decent program, a poor man's/seminarian's BW.
 
I have BW7. LOVE IT! My question is: If you have 7 is there really $150 worth of new goodies that would make the upgrade worth the money (and the time learning a new layout)? I am not sure if there would be.

Fair enough.:handshake:
 
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For those looking for a better "Grammcord" the morphology database is included "under the hood" in Logos Libronix (LLS). The cost of Libronix is however much steeper than Bibleworks (who I believe has some connections to a PCA church). If you're looking to lower the cost of BW, if you can scrounge up some friends and do a group buy you can reduce your cost some. Students at my former seminary did this.

If I hadn't been given a free copy of LLS, I probably would have gone the Grammcord or BW route just on cost alone. I'm very thankful for the gift - God's providence once again blessed (and continues to) this sinner.
 
I have BW4. It doesn't look like I can upgrade from that version.

But from the looks of it purchasing BW8 by itself would be worth it.
 
I have BW7. LOVE IT! My question is: If you have 7 is there really $150 worth of new goodies that would make the upgrade worth the money (and the time learning a new layout)? I am not sure if there would be.

Fully integrated early church fathers sounds like it is worth the price alone. I have visions of every textual reference to a particular passage referenced in the commentaries of the fathers.
 
I have BW7. LOVE IT! My question is: If you have 7 is there really $150 worth of new goodies that would make the upgrade worth the money (and the time learning a new layout)? I am not sure if there would be.

Fully integrated early church fathers sounds like it is worth the price alone. I have visions of every textual reference to a particular passage referenced in the commentaries of the fathers.

I can only hope it is that good!
 
Just got it and installed it. Now I have to figure what I can't do that I used to be able to, and all the things I can do now, that were not possible with BW7!
 
What is the difference between Bibleworks and Logos for Pastoral Study? Different tools for different purposes or do you Pastors not use Logos?
 
What is the difference between Bibleworks and Logos for Pastoral Study? Different tools for different purposes or do you Pastors not use Logos?

Rich,

I have both. I use both in my study - often both are open at the same time. BW is a fast language tool. Logos is more like a library. BW does some search functions and other things easier than Logos; the reverse is also true.

Think of it like two tools that overlap some, but where one tool does a better job. Kingd of like large pliers and an adjustable wrench.
 
As a Seminary student who desires to save some $$ right now and won't be taking Greek right away, which should I get first?

Do you ave the Scholar's Gold library for Logos? At $1349, it's probably a killer library but I wonder if I should take the plunge at some point.
 
As a Seminary student who desires to save some $$ right now and won't be taking Greek right away, which should I get first?

Do you ave the Scholar's Gold library for Logos? At $1349, it's probably a killer library but I wonder if I should take the plunge at some point.

I don't know that you need Scholars Gold, and you can always upgrade. If you don't know any original languages, I don't think you get bang for your buck for BW. Logos does simple English searches just as fast.

You get just about everything you need (now) with Logos Scholars. That is what I have. Look at the comparison, and see whether the missing resources are worth the $700 difference. I don't need it, and I'm a pastor with 20 years of Greek.

Comparison Chart - Compare Logos Bible Software Packages

Also, you should be able to get a discount on both BW and Logos because you are a seminary student. BW requires a "bulk" purchase - so ask New Geneva. Logos you should call. They have student pricing that they can send you.
 
Also, Rich, if you do get Bibleworks for your seminary studies you must refrain from cheating yourself in your learning, especially when you are under pressure of completing multiple class readings and assignments for the following morning. Many students took short cuts in translation and tried to avoid learning their vocab by having BW spit out the answers for them on their homework. This prevented them from really thinking through the languages, and cripples the will against gaining a basic proficiency in sight reading the Scriptures.

BW is an outstanding tool for sure, but only after the basics have been mastered in the mind. Unfortunately, there are seminaries out there that have been attempting to teach the languages exclusively by means of teaching students how to use the BW search function. None of these seminaries are Reformed, thankfully.
 
Also, Rich, if you do get Bibleworks for your seminary studies you must refrain from cheating yourself in your learning, especially when you are under pressure of completing multiple class readings and assignments for the following morning. Many students took short cuts in translation and tried to avoid learning their vocab by having BW spit out the answers for them on their homework. This prevented them from really thinking through the languages, and cripples the will against gaining a basic proficiency in sight reading the Scriptures.

BW is an outstanding tool for sure, but only after the basics have been mastered in the mind. Unfortunately, there are seminaries out there that have been attempting to teach the languages exclusively by means of teaching students how to use the BW search function. None of these seminaries are Reformed, thankfully.

This is true. Even in my day (the late 80s), Classics students would be tempted to get around learning the languages and taking shortcuts using Loebs and translations. (We did not have ANY computer tools).
 
I have installed BW 8 on my computer, and I must say that I am blown away by it. Get this: the Schaff Early Church Fathers fully integrated (which means that you can find every place the ECF mention a particular verse simply by scrolling down the screen), the Jewish targums and Talmud (the former in Aramaic and English translation, the latter only in English), also fully integrated in a similar manner. That right there is the worth the whole price. Cross-reference systems (note the plural) actually written out, instead of needing to click on them; Jouon-Muraoka's revised grammar, IBHS by Waltke/O'Connor, Wallace's Syntax and lots more. It is incredible.
 
I have installed BW 8 on my computer, and I must say that I am blown away by it. Get this: the Schaff Early Church Fathers fully integrated (which means that you can find every place the ECF mention a particular verse simply by scrolling down the screen), the Jewish targums and Talmud (the former in Aramaic and English translation, the latter only in English), also fully integrated in a similar manner. That right there is the worth the whole price. Cross-reference systems (note the plural) actually written out, instead of needing to click on them; Jouon-Muraoka's revised grammar, IBHS by Waltke/O'Connor, Wallace's Syntax and lots more. It is incredible.

I had forgotten that they were adding Jouon-Muraoka, Waltke/O'Connor, and Wallace. I think that those three modules alone ran something along the lines of 150.00 in previous BW editions. I have the 38 vol. hardback set edited by Schaff, and I think that was about 240.00 on sale at CBD. They are really packing some good stuff in there for the price.
 
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