10 replies to this topic

[wcmbcm]

I’m praying there is a brother or sister in Christ in the Apex/Cary/Raleigh area who can help me out.  I’ve been a Logos user since 2002, and was very satisfied when using it on the PC.  Beginning around 2008, I wanted to move to the Mac platform, but would not do it because I didn’t want to lose my investment in Logos.  So when they came out with their Mac product 3 years ago, I made the leap and joyfully left the Windows world behind.  Initially things were a bit rocky with Logos on the Mac, but that was expected for a PC product making a beta stage transition to cover both platforms.  But after 3 years, my patience is wearing pretty thin (exacerbated by some seriously lengthy spinning beach ball issues over the last 6 months).  So, as a part of my “What do I do now?” thinking, I began looking for viable options and discovered Accordance, along with it’s vast base of enthusiastically thrilled users (including Pastor Bob in Gatesville NC).  After briefly perusing this forum, I noticed 2 general themes that are most pertinent to my dilemma and my impending decision:  1)  Accordance blows Logos out of the water in terms of speed  2)  Logos has some valuable resources/features that Accordance doesn’t currently carry.  

 

By posting the above background, I am NOT inviting even the slightest bashing of a competitive product.  I thank God for Logos, and I thank God for Accordance.  I’m confident both products and both companies have their strengths and their weaknesses.  What I AM inviting is that if anyone in the Apex/Cary/Raleigh area has the Accordance Essential Collection (or higher), and has developed a high proficiency in using the fully-featured product, that they would consider giving me a demonstration of Accordance.  Use of multiple layouts/workspaces is essential - lexical depth and breadth is essential - linked English Bibles/lexicons/dictionaries/commentaries/atlases is essential - reverse interlinear use with related resources is essential.  And I would add that to see how E.W. Bullinger’s “Figures of Speech Used in the Bible” works with Accordance would be an “almost” essential item.  Almost.

 

My sincerest THANKS to whoever can help me out in my decision-making.  

 

God bless you,

Walter

[Bob Deacon]

Although I know it isn't very close to you but they are having some training in the Williamsburg Va area and both myself and my son plan on attending. I think the date is March 22 or 23. 

[wcmbcm]

I did notice that there will be a training seminar in Williamsburg VA (I believe it is Mon March 25, not the 22-23), but I was very much hopeful to get a good thorough look before then, and without having to travel the 3 1/2 hours.  I'm still hopeful someone from the Raleigh area will see this and respond.

[rev.ken.han]

Have you checked out Dr. J's video tutorials? It's not quite hands on, but it does give you a pretty good idea about the various features / speed / usability, etc.

[wcmbcm]

Thanks Ken - yes, the videos are helpful - but for what I'd like to see and check out, it's just not the same.  Kind of like watching a video of someone driving a car, compared to getting behind the wheel, or in the shotgun seat.  If you have any ministry friends/contacts in the Raleigh area, feel free to pass this thread along.

[Helen Brown]

We find that a screensharing session via Skype or one of the other systems is a great way to do an interactive demo at a distance. We are actually presenting Accordance at three distant locations this weekend, so next week might be easier to find a suitable person to spend an hour or two with you online.

[wcmbcm]

"Plan A" would be a real live demonstration with a local user, showing the essential usage (stated above) that I'd love to see in action - but your suggested remote interactive online session sounds like a good "Plan B".  I am a non-user (= zero experience with Accordance) - so how does screensharing work, allowing me to watch a highly proficient user demonstrate on their computer how they use the program?

[Joel Brown]

Screensharing could ideally work both ways - both you and the presenter have access to the screen, so you can sit back and watch, or try out a bit yourself.

[ukfraser]

Wcmbcm. You are clearly frustrated with logos but even if you bought accordance, your logos investment would still be available to you. you have already identified that not all your logos resources are available in accordance so you would have to use both. I accept its inconvenient to have to go to other applications rather than have all resources available in one, but some of us still have our paper libraries dotted around the house and even realise that we have lent the required resource to a friend! I would be tempted to dowload trial or get the starter and play with that and then talk to the people at accordance about getting a discount off the essentials if you decide you like it and want to upgrade to a comprehensive package.

Edited by ukfraser, 02 March 2013 - 09:40 AM.

[wcmbcm]

Joel - If I haven't heard from someone in this local NC area, I'll call Accordance support early next week and pursue that route.  Thanks.

ukfraser - Due to my limited budget, I would be far more likely to sell my Logos package to a 3rd party in order to recoup a portion of my investment, which would allow me to switch to Accordance with a minimized financial downside.  I haven't looked deeply into the details of what I would lose, resource-wise, in making that sell-and-switch.  Nor have I delved into what resources I could potentially gain if I were to switch (if there are such resources, I have to figure out if those resources are of interest to me.  Is there a list anywhere of such resources?)  

Another alternative route I could take is to sell my current iMac, upgrade to the newer one with a hard drive that includes 128gb of flash drive, and I'm told the issue of extreme sluggishness with Logos goes away.  But that again will cost hard dollars I don't have in my budget.  Rock....hard place.  Hard place.....rock.

In speaking to the Accordance sales staff, I asked about the discount system, and was told that it only applies to my first purchase - and that any starter package I purchase expends that discount, so an upgrade after that to Essential+add-ons would be at full price.

[Julie Falling]

Walter - One thing you can do right now that would be free would be to download the Accordance demo (http://www.accordanc...Free-Trial-Demo) and play with it.  It comes with enough stuff that you could get the feel of the program, and follow along with Dr J's podcasts, copying what he does.  It will quit after 60 minutes, but you can restart it and keep going.  That will hold you over until you can either screen share or find a local Accordance user.  I know there have got to be some in the area, but they may not spend time on the forums.

 

The sales team at Accordance will be able to help you get the most for your money.

 

I have the Essentials package and have been very happy with it.  I've been using Accordance for 9+ years.  The current collections are new to version 10.  I came it at the tail end of version 5.  I went from the middle of the road package to the TOL in the non-academic track, then started adding Greek resources in 2008.  When the current collections came out, the buy-up to Essentials was so reasonable that I took the plunge and haven't regretted it.  While I will continue to buy individual resources, I will probably never go to Advanced or Ultimate.  I don't know even a scrap of Syriac, and at my age, really don't feel I can take that on.  Most of what I lack at this point is for true scholars - professors and researchers.  I'm just a Sunday school teacher with a love of Greek.

 

I hope you can find someone local to help you, but plan B sounds pretty good to me, and you'd be getting a test drive with real experts.