Two weeks ago, I used several posts to list the major and minor features of Accordance 8. But there are two minor features of Accordance 8 which I didn't tell you about then. That's because you couldn't try out those new features until we released modules which took advantage of them. Now that we've released the Library 8 and Scholar's 8, I can tell you about them without making you wait too long to try them.
Accordance 8 now supports two new kinds of hypertext links in tools: (1) links to other Accordance modules, and (2) links to web URLs. The new Library and Scholar's feature a handful of modules which take advantage of these new links, and we'll be updating our existing tools to support them over time. For now, a good example of these links in action is the updated Hymns module.
Hymns is a collection of hymn lyrics which has long been included in the Introductory Level of the Library. Each hymn includes information about that hymn's author, tune, and a corresponding Scripture reference. The new Hymns module now has hypertext links from the author's names to the Hymn Writers module which is also included in the Introductory Level. Thus, when you're looking at "A Mighty Fortress is Our God," and you click on the name Martin Luther, the Hymn Writers module will open to the entry on Luther.
Even cooler is the Hymns module's use of web links. Under each Hymn title, there is a link which reads "Search iTunes store." Click that link, and iTunes will open to the iTunes store and find every version of "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." You can then sample and purchase renditions by various choirs and contemporary artists.
Right now, only a handful of new resources include these links. The Holman Book of Biblical Charts, Maps, and Reconstructions has links to the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. A. W. Pink's Works has links to Calvin's Institutes and Commentaries, the Creeds and Confessions, etc. Robertson's Greek grammar has some links to Burton's Moods and Tenses and Deissmann's Bible studies. Spurgeon's little discussion of Commenting and Commentaries includes a few links to Calvin, Henry, Clarke and JFB. There are a few other modules which include these kinds of links, but we obviously have a lot more work to do.
In the grand scheme of things, these two new kinds of links are relatively minor new features, but the more we implement them in Accordance tools, the more integration you'll see among Accordance resources and between Accordance tools and internet resources.
By the way, if you'd like to give us your ideas for ways we can utilize web links, I've started a forum discussion about it here.
# posted by David Lang @ 12:17 PM
