4 ways to improve the ability to read an Accordance module.

[William Cross]

Recently our elders decided we would all purchase the book The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter reading and discussing a chapter a week.

Trying to cut down on paper books due to space, I immediately decided I would be reading it on my iPhone as I have numerous other books in iBooks.

Before looking on iBooks for a copy to purchase I did a quick search on the Accordance app. Dude, I was stoked to find I already owned this work plus a number of others also by Richard Baxter. Awesome!

At that point I set to reading. I was glad to know I could adjust the font size as the printed book's font size and linespacing was very hard to read.

I also was thankful for the recent iOS changes that allowed me to return right where I left off each time I opened the module to read (at least some of the time it remembered.)

 

But... I have run into some problems that I think need to be improved.

 

1. When I read a book it gets marked up, underlined, highlighted, bookmarked, dog eared, notated... you know... read. There is no way to do this.

 

2. Taking notes on a book I am reading for discussion is important. There is no way to do this without leaving the program.

 

3. When I discuss a book, I open to a specific page and paragraph and then point out sentences to others. Trying to find a specific sentence is not possible since I can't mark them or copy them. (Without a copy feature I can't even cut and paste a great quote into a note app.)

 

4. iBooks, Kindle, Nook, Good Reader etc... all allow me to do this (read a book) and more (like sync all the bookmarks, notations, highlights and, this is big, INDEX THEM ALL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK and provide a link to jump to each mark and a link to jump back from the mark. This makes having a book discussion very easy.) But I own this book (and hundreds of other books) in Accordance. I don't want to buy them again. I have been investing in Accordance for over 10 years now. Can you add these features so I can read all of these great works you have provided me with?

[Scott Knapp]

William,

 

These are all great ideas and (in some form) either on the feature set list for a future release or under active development for the next release. It's interesting how so many of the feature requests we get for the iOS app have no real analogue in the desktop app. And how many are specific to improving the "reading" experience.

 

Thanks for the feedback,

 

Scott.

[William Cross]

William,

 

These are all great ideas and (in some form) either on the feature set list for a future release or under active development for the next release. It's interesting how so many of the feature requests we get for the iOS app have no real analogue in the desktop app. And how many are specific to improving the "reading" experience.

 

Thanks for the feedback,

 

Scott.

 

 

Scott,

I think that is because with the desktop app it is very easy to customize a window, copy and paste text, save a window and highlight author's works.

 

Also a big difference is that reading an authors work, or the Bible for that matter, when at the computer is almost always tied to a concerted effort of study preperation for the purpose of teaching. That usually nessesitates typing out notes and copying and pasting text into a word processor like Pages.

 

Having the portability of Accordance with you on an iPhone or iPad allows Accordance to function like a book, a really think, huge, awesome book. Easy to carry and grab a few minutes with, without the desk time set aside to hours of research and typing. Since there are already book apps out there, Accordance gets compared to their UI and functions because I have become accustomed to using those and want my Accordance library to do the same. Books on Accordance that I never read on my computer now are appealing. I can read while I am walking, riding etc. Couldn't do that with the computer. Hence more request for readability.

 

Accordance desktop seems best suited in-depth study and preparation. I sit down at the desk and study for the purpose of creating content.

Accordance on iOS allows me to take the Bible and my whole library with me to read in those quick, short times throughout the day and the portability lets me bring the weight of Accordance into a discussion without feeling like I am hiding behind a screen. Reading for the purpose gaining knowledge, interacting with others and referring to in a discussion.

[Timothy Jenney]

We are thrilled with the rapid acceptable our iOS app has received. I think we kind of knew no one would be happy with "just simple app, so I can read my modules on the iPhone." However, we've been surprised at the rapidity with which the iOS app has developed its own unique niche for our users. Requests for a dedicated "devotional mode" have been high, while our devotional modules got little attention on our OSX application." Similarly, users like you are now requesting a "beautiful reading experience" on iOS, which was always kind of just a neat side feature of our desktop program. In fact, I think it fair to say we've been astonished by the direction users are now taking Accordance iOS.

 

Fortunately, we have a history of responding to user feature requests, so we're used to "partnering" with our users when it comes to shaping the direction of a program. Thanks for the feature requests