Thinking of Buying Accordance, long time Logos user

[djc1956]

Hi,

I have been with Logos since the Libronix 3 days, and currently have Logos 6 Gold. I moved to Mac from PC almost a year ago, and have been looking at Accordance, and am considering buying one of the bundles. I will probably keep my Logos, as I have built a  reasonable library over many years.

 

Before buying, I wanted to check with anyone who has used Logos 6 and Accordance, if there are many tools and features that I would lose by using Accordance. Also, Logos can be a little sluggish sometimes on starting with updating and indexing etc. Does Accordance also do this, or does it start and search faster?

 

I am running a RMBP 256gb with 16gb Ram, would you expect this Mac to be able to run Accordance smoothly, or am I under specced. Also, Logos makes a great deal of use of online cloud servers to handle many of the tools, is that the same with Accordance?

 

From a cost point of view, I would probably jump in to accordance at the Bible Study bundle, which is actually cheaper than buying Tyndale for Logos, which I do not currently have digitally. In Logos, there are datasets and some features missing from the lower end bundles, over and above the books not present, is this the case with Accordance, and if so, what tools are missing from Accordance at the Bible Study bundle level, that I might need?

 

Finally, by buying Accordance, to run alongside my Logos library, rather than buying Tyndale for Logos, what do you think I would gain in functionality, use, or work flow. I notice that there is an IOS app, but no Android. Is Android development on the Accordance roadmap, not necessarily a deal breaker if it isn't?

 

I appreciate any advice

Blessings

 

Duncan

 

 

 

 

 

[rcdeacon]

Duncan,

 

I also came over from Logos having started with Logos during the Libronix days as well. I however do not have L6 Gold but Bronze with many add-ons.

 

Although Accordance DOES NOT have some of the bells and whistles of Logos and of course the library of Accordance is not nearly as deep, I have found Accordance SUPERIOR in many ways! It is way easier to work with layouts and notes for starters. With your hardware Accordance will run like a dream and of course it DOES NOT index and DOES NOT slow down. Additionally, with few exceptions it is rock solid software.

 

As a beta tester the people at Oak Tree work very hard at releasing a product that is ready to run and not bug ridden. Also the customer support is stellar. I have had them call me on my cell to help a number of times and I have worked with them on screen shares and phone. They are incredible! You DO NOT have to have an active internet connection to stay productive with Accordance although the sync process is slightly more cumbersome but still effective. 

 

I bought into Accordance 3 or 4 years ago and have NOT regretted it for a moment. My current Accordance package is the Essential package which affords more than enough original language helps, commentaries and other works.

 

Welcome to the Mac world (I made that change about 5 years ago) and welcome to Accordance.

 

Bob

[djc1956]

Thanks for your reply Bob.

 

I appreciate it.

Duncan

[EricC]

 Also the customer support is stellar. 

 

This is absolutely true. Amazing support. Send a crash report in (if you happen to ever have a crash), and you'll get a personal e-mail usually within a day! I found that dealing with the other company's support staff was more than I had the patience for. I'd rather not know how to do something than have to go through that again. At least that's how I felt a time or two.

 

Besides using several other companies' Bible software (some of which I still really like), I had Logos long before Accordance, and I actually got a Mac back when Accordance was Mac-only because Accordance was so well-rated. The Mac way of doing things is sometimes quite different, and it took me a long time to get used to it. I probably only use 10-15% of Accordance's capabilities. I still use Logos (I'm still on v. 5) for some things, and I have a lot of resources in it that I either got before the switch or which are not available in Accordance. I just usually have both apps up at the same time. But if I'm trying to learn how to do something new or expand my skills, I go to Accordance.

 

Oh, there are cross-grades for certain commentary sets, so if you decide you like Accordance and want to use it to access something available in both, you can talk to the sales folks about cross-grades.

 

One thing that recently reminded me of why I like Accordance's customer service was this: they have a 90-day grace period during which if something goes on sale, you can get a refund. At least that's how it worked for me. I bought a couple of titles of a commentary. Then within 90 days, the whole series when on sale, and I bought the whole thing. They gave me credit for what I'd spent earlier on the two volumes. I'm still impressed.

 

Bottom line: you'll probably miss some things if you switch completely. If you keep running both and start investing in Accordance, you probably won't be disappointed. 

[Dieudonne]

I own Logos 6 Gold and Accordance 11 Ultimate Collection and a few add-ons. I started using Logos far before I knew about Accordance. However, since I started using Accordance, it has become my main Bible software. I use Logos for certain tasks but not as much as I use Accordance. Like others have said, Accordance NEVER indexes, runs fast on any Mac (old or new), it is not cluttered with a lot of unnecessary things, and the customer support is stellar. In addition, Accordance updates are far cheaper compared to Logos and with Accordance any update gives you all the new features.

 

My advice for starting with Accordance is that you buy a good base package. It is cheaper to get, say the Ultimate Collection, than to buy the Essential and then add-on. 

[Michel Gilbert]

I have been with Logos since the Libronix 3 days, 

 

Hi Duncan,

 

I've owned the Logos Original Languages edition since the Libronix 3 days, added some resources, and now run them all in Logos 6. I bought Accordance Original Languages collection and added the Syntax Modules; since then I upgraded to Essentials. 

 

 

tools and features 

 

One mechanical difference that caught me off guard was triple clicking. I now use keyboard shortcuts for this.

 

Regarding program features, the biggest differences to me are the Syntax Modules and Construct Searches. Accordance searches are more intuitive, partly due to its graphical interface. Also, when I bought Acc on 2013, its interface was much easier to see. I haven't used Logos' search interface since then, so I don't know if things have improved. 

 

 

 

 

I am running a RMBP 256gb with 16gb Ram, would you expect this Mac to be able to run Accordance smoothly, or am I under specced. 

 

I think many are smiling when they read this. My 32 bit 2 GB RAM Mac runs Acc lightning fast. 

 

 

what do you think I would gain in functionality, use, or work flow. 

 

Practically, if you own a second Bible software program, you can have more windows open and copy and paste from or between them. And, at least you always end up with more resources that cost less than paper books. As you learn how to use Acc, you will discover it does some things better than Logos, and you'll increase your workflow by choosing the best in both programs.

 

 

 

 Is Android development on the Accordance roadmap?

 

Acc staff keep dropping hints that it is planned, perhaps even in early development. When it appears I assume it will be a lot like the iOS app, most importantly, you won't need to be connected to the Internet. One thing I don't like about Logos' Android app is having to be connected to the Internet, even when all your resources are downloaded onto your tablet, e.g., to look up a Greek or Hebrew word you need to be connected to the Internet, even with HAL or BDAG downloaded.

 

There are many of us waiting for an Android app. One thing I've learned about Acc is that they keep their promises, so I know that it will happen one day.

 

Regards,

 

Michel

[Ιακοβ]

After being in Logos for a while, (Bronze plus other things). I got tired of the slowness, and other annoyances... (When I open an app to read a bible verse, I don't want it to try and do a whole pile of updates and indexing, I opened it to read the bible verse). Also there were some things about logos that I could never quite work out properly, when I tried accordance, everything I wanted to do was easy to work out, so I ended up switching to Accordance.

 

The only thing I miss is that the font and layout in the iPhone/iPad app is far better in the Logos iPhone app, than it is in the Accordance iPhone app. Every time I open the iPhone app I am feeling "yuck, that logos one was so much nicer". But overall Accordance seems better and a lot faster.

[Michael Miles]

I started with Logos when it shipped on floppy disks.  I gave away my entire collection at one point because of the bugs and recently tested the waters on a new package (as some study colleagues of mine use Logos) and came away from the experience with absolutely zero desire to hook back up with Logos as far as purchasing a base package.  I'll perhaps purchase the odd digital resource if Accordance or BibleWorks doesn't offer it, but otherwise I'm not a Logos fan at all.

 

That being said, I can assure you that the Accordance executable software is programmed using a superior skill set with a more common sense approach, and the results are immediately obvious.  I purchased my first Mac just to use Accordance and it's been grand.  The software never feels like you're turning around an ocean liner in a small river (slow and bouncing off the rocks) and there is none of the indexing that Logos users have to contend with.  The interface is much more pleasant to work with as well.

 

I'm a big fan of Accordance, but I have to sort of make up stories to even begin to say anything good about Logos.  For example: "Logos - it starts with an "L", so get it now!"

 

I hope this post helps you as much as I had fun writing it.

[Brian K. Mitchell]

I think that the most important aspect of Bible Software that you should consider is it's underlining philosophy. Because, a software' or company's philosophy effects everything else. Accordance is now well into it's 11th version, but while the following video made while Accordance was in its 8th version is still helpful in understanding the Accordance philosophy because all though the interface has change the philosophy has not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkOR9ykIoiU

 

Is Accordance fast?

Accordance is fast is three ways:

 

(1) Accordance Bible Software has relatively low hardware requirements. Accordance rarely uses over 15% of my CPU if that! Accordance was made for Mac and has been since 1992 or 1993. Searches are not simply fast they are basically instantaneous! And, that applies to both the search time and the time your CPU/GPU needs to display the results!!  Accordance either does not index it's resources locally on your computer, or maybe all resources come already indexed? I have never noticed any indexing or any other taxing or consuming processes in Accordance. It never slows down your computer. 

 

(2) Not, only is Accordance fast when you hit the search button, it is fast before you hit the search button! What, I mean is this; searches can be made quickly either in real language or constructed intuitively and graphically. Yes, that is true even with morphological and Syntactic searches, too. You will never need to type in esoteric command line codes.

 

(3) Interface. Accordance has a streamlined and consistence user interface all throughout. This makes it faster and easier to learn as well as being more comfortable to use. My favorite part of the Accordance GUI is that I almost never notice or think about it when using Accordance. 

Edited November 17, 2015 by bkMitchell