Mac Bible Software Survey

Here's your chance to tell the developers of Mac Bible Software what you think and what you want.

by David Lang (Posted: 5/1/03)

Ever wanted to tell someone exactly what you think of them? Well, here's your chance. No, we don't want to know what bugs you about your mother-in-law. But we do want to know what bugs you, and what pleases you, about the Bible Software currently available for the Mac. How well does it meet your Bible study needs? How aware are you of the different products that are available? How well do these programs compare to the dozens of Windows Bible study programs lining the shelves of your local Christian bookstore? Knowing your answers to these questions will help the various Mac Bible Software developers to improve their products and to clarify their marketing messages. Trust me, as someone who works for a Mac Bible Software developer, I can personally guarantee you that those developers want very much to know what you think.

So please take a few moments to copy the following survey questions into an e-mail with the subject "Mac Bible Software Survey," jot down your answers, and send them to cmugdave@earthlink.net. I'll compile your answers into an article which will be posted on this site in the next week or two, and I'll personally contact the various Mac Bible Software developers and urge them to listen to your feedback. I also promise not to pull any punches when it comes to publishing the survey results, even if (gulp!) you voice some harsh criticisms of the software I help to develop.

That said, here are the survey questions I hope you'll take the time to answer:



1. What Bible Software do you currently use, if any?



2. Do you run this software in OS X, in OS 9 or below, in OS X using the Classic Environment, or in a Windows emulation program such as Virtual PC?



3. How would you characterize your use of Bible Software? Do you use it for professional ministry or for personal study? Do you use it on a regular basis or for the occasional lookup of a word or verse?



4. What do you like best about the Bible Software you currently use?



5. What do you wish your Bible Software could do that it currently cannot do?



6. Are there any specific resources (e.g.: Bible texts, commentaries, study aids, maps, etc.) which you would like to see made available?



7. If a Mac user were to ask you which Bible Software he should get, how would you compare the Mac Bible programs currently available? What do you see as their relative strengths and weaknesses?



8. If a Windows user were to ask you how the Bible Software available for the Mac compares with the Bible Software available for Windows, what would you tell him or her?



9. Is there any Bible Software currently available for the Mac that you are interested in using but that you have not yet been willing to purchase? If so, what is holding you back?



10. If you could give the various developers of Mac Bible Software one piece of advice, what would it be?