Software Offerings of Biblical Proportions

By MARK A. KELLNER

Oct. 18, 2001 12 AM PT

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

The undisputed bestseller of all time is the Bible, with millions of copies sold each year. It’s little wonder that it also is one of the first--and most enduring--software products for personal computers, and now hand-held devices.

Programs come in various translations and editions, with and without study notes. The Bible is ideally suited for the kind of cross-referencing and searching that a computer can provide.

Many Bible students want to use additional texts in their studies, however. In the case of evangelical Protestants, for example, commentaries, dictionaries and other works often form an important part of Bible study.

And with versions of the Bible ranging from the poetic King James version to the more modern New International Version, many people want to have access to more than one rendering of a verse, which, again, a software program can easily provide.

Two leading publishers of Bible software are poised to release new versions, and one publisher of software for Jewish students already has launched a new edition of a program covering the Hebrew Scriptures. I looked at these plus two free alternatives available on the Internet--as well as versions for hand-held devices.

The greatest advantage of Bible programs--for the serious student, at least--is being able to take an armload of books off one’s desk.

Many of the resources contained in the leading software programs are aimed at the evangelical reader, one who tends toward a more conservative, even literal, interpretation of the Bible. This is not a big surprise to industry insiders, since it is the evangelistic thrust of these Protestants (such as Billy Graham) that tends toward a heavy use of Scripture for personal study.

Among the big changes in this generation of software is the “Webification” of the programs.

The software relies on the Internet for continuous updates and the inclusion of news sources. With literally millions of Web sites offering Bible studies and other documents, such integration is vital.

Bible Explorer 3.0: This program is very much designed for the methodical, dedicated student. The software, which runs on Windows-based PCs, offers the digital equivalent of a quiet library carrel where an armload of books can be spread out.

In looking at a particular verse, I was able to display a mosaic of windows showing the verse in several versions as well as commentaries by Matthew Henry and other evangelical-oriented scholars.

I could arrange the windows in such a way that going to another verse would turn all the windows to that verse. This “linking” is useful when contemplating a Scripture topic--reading one verse on a subject often can lead to another and then others still--and the synchronization between these windows is a very practical feature.

A daily Bible reading planner also is included, allowing a user to map out an approach to reading as much--or as little--of the Bible as desired within a given period, such as a week, a month or a year.

Reference works abounded in my test version, including eight concordances and word study books, two dictionaries and the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, a $280 reference set in its hard-bound version. Also available are woodcuts of biblical scenes by Gustav Dore, an illustrated dictionary of Bible words and a range of maps of biblical lands. Reference notes from the Life Application Bible were another feature of the version I tested.

Many users will appreciate two features of the Bible Explorer program. One lets you load documents formatted in the HyperText Markup Language (HTML). If the document contains a Scripture reference, you can hover the mouse pointer over that reference to pop up the verse in a separate window.

The other is a note pad that readers can use to enter their own notes. Those files can be saved in the HTML format, which in turn can be read by Microsoft Word, WordPerfect and other programs.

As with most Bible software programs, pricing for Bible Explorer 3.0, published by Epiphany Software of San Jose, depends on the number of resources a user decides to buy; the more volumes, the higher the price. A $15 discovery edition lets users sample the entire library for 30 days. Retail versions include a $150 standard edition, a $250 deluxe edition and a $380 premium edition.

Bible Scholar: Publisher Jewish Educational Software of Monsey, N.Y., touts this program as being the “best on the market” for studying the Hebrew Scriptures of the Bible in both Hebrew and English.

If so, this market might be one into which a competitor can move.

Its core is a rendering of the Bible in both a Hebrew and an English version, which the publishers say is provided by the Israel Bible Research Society. (I could not locate the group online, but the text reads very much like the King James version.) No source was given for the Hebrew text.

Displaying these texts in parallel is a boon for students who know both languages. And the non-Hebrew speaker will appreciate several of the additional features in the software.

The comments of Rashi, a medieval rabbi who lived in France during the 11th century, are very insightful and are augmented by a plethora of reference tools, including the ability to search for root words in both languages, a Bible chronology and map and graphics archives.

One of the most positive aspects of this program is that it offers the ability not only to create written notes that can be linked to a given passage but also to record voice notes. It’s not a bad idea, and one that other Bible programs might do well to incorporate.

However, the overall look and feel of the software is a bit old and could be updated to reflect the rapid growth of the Internet and the ability to link with Web sites that many users now have.

It would be nice to have, for Jewish laypeople, a more modern commentary in addition to Rashi’s, as a way of introducing the Hebrew Scriptures to those who might not be intimately familiar with each of the books.

I enjoyed the program, which the publisher sells for $90, but would like to see something a bit more up to date, capable of a bit more than is found here.

Libronix Digital Library System: Formerly known as Logos Research Systems, publisher Libronix Corp. has a large and dedicated following in evangelical circles, among other areas. Its text-finding software has been used by dozens of publishers to present not only Bible versions but commentary and study books in a compatible format.

This approach is particularly popular in several Christian denominations, which like to use a common set of reference works or add their own to the mix.

The new Libronix Digital Library System, on its way to stores now, represents a breakthrough in blending a wide range of sources--my test version came with the better part of 100 volumes, including a dozen translations of Bible texts. As with Bible Explorer, there is a wide range of versions, priced from $150 to $600, depending on the number of Bible versions and reference books. As many as 230 texts are available.

Though steep, the prices of the electronic versions are one-sixth to one-tenth the cost of equivalent printed versions.

Scriptures and reference works can be displayed in linked windows; the program also has a tool to show a single verse in parallel across all Bible versions to which a user’s software license gives access. Libronix, you see, is not just a software maker but a content provider, working with publishers to offer titles that can be “unlocked” either as part of a package or on an individual basis.

The Bible Study Starter is touted as a one-click way into the study of a Bible verse: Just enter the reference, decide whether you want a word study, an exegetical guide or the verse plus a commentary alongside it (in a separate window) and click on the Go button. Up pops the desired items, which also can be linked to other resources found in the software.

The firm, based in Oak Harbor, Wash., says it doesn’t want to compete with such companies as Microsoft by building in a word processor as part of its software.

Instead, Libronix says it will offer a “smart tag” program for Microsoft Word 2002 and other Office XP applications that will automatically look up a Bible passage when a reference is typed into a document and then insert the text if desired.

Working with the Libronix Digital Library System quickly became addictive. For a serious Bible student, the software offers a great deal of value and is rather easy to learn. Its publishers have access to a wide range of reference items in compatible formats, which makes expanding and customizing a digital library relatively easy.

Free Alternatives: Those on a limited budget have several ways of accessing digital Bible texts and references. Among these are two software programs whose most basic versions are available free online.

The Online Bible, available at https://www.onlinebible.net , offers a basic study system and texts such as the King James version, Douay (a Catholic translation) and Darby’s Literal Translation for free, along with various commentaries and other files. The interface is very good and easy to learn. The site also includes an ordering page where commercial versions are sold. These versions include more texts and reference works, including the most popular modern English translations.

Theophilos is a program from a Slovakian programmer, Ivan Jurik, which is distributed in a basic version via https://www.theophilos.sk. Like the Online Bible, Theophilos offers a King James module, a Bible dictionary and Matthew Henry’s Commentary free; other items can be added via downloads or bought on a CD-ROM from the Web site. Using a Windows interface, the program also offers editing of HTML files so Scripture references can be added. It is a good program that is gaining a lot of adherents, including some at Christian colleges that aim to save students some money.

Mark A. Kellner is a freelance technology writer and hosts “Mark Kellner on Computers” at https://www.adrenalineradio.com from 5 to 6 p.m. Thursdays. He can be reached at mark@kellner2000.com.

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The Skinny Bible Explorer 3.0

https://www.epiphanysoftware.com

* Price: $150 for standard edition, $250 for deluxe edition, $380 for premium edition

* Publisher: Epiphany Software

* The good: Wide range of references

* The bad: Extra step to export notes to Microsoft Word

* Bottom line: A good choice for personal study

Bible Scholar

https://www.jewishsoftware.com/products/51.asp#a

* Price: $90

* Publisher