Mac Bible Software Survey Results

Mac Sword is a "Mac OS X front end for the sword project," an Open Source project aimed at creating "an ever expanding software package for research and study of God and His Word." MacSword is currently beta software, and has apparently only been available to the public since November of 2002. It is currently used by two percent of the survey respondents.

While MacSword's current functionality is somewhat limited, it does have one major advantage over new Bible programs such as iBible and Bible Reader Free: namely, the ability to add a wide variety of modules. These include English and foreign Bible translations, Greek and Hebrew texts, commentaries, dictionaries, classic Christian literature, etc. All of these modules are available for download at the Sword Project web-site, and it's all free of charge, enabling the user to build a fairly substantial library of older, public domain works.

MacSword was praised for its Aqua interface and Unicode support, as well as for the ability to add numerous modules. Complaints included minor interface issues (not remembering window positions, etc.), lack of features, and the absence of modern, copyrighted books.

Like iBible and Bible Reader Free, MacSword has a great deal of potential, and given its head start in terms of number of modules, it may actually have fewer obstacles to overcome. Then again, the Open Source nature of the Sword project may enable other developers to add hooks into those modules as well. It will certainly be interesting to see how these three new programs help to push the state of Mac Bible software forward in the coming months and years.

AGES Digital Libraries are not Bible software per se, but collections of classic Christian books in PDF format. By publishing public domain books and Bibles as PDF files, AGES does not need to develop its own software, and can offer its materials for Windows, Mac, and even OS X. Three percent of the survey respondents used one or more AGES CD-ROMs, but it is interesting to note that every one of them also used some other software as their primary Bible program.

The only major complaint about the AGES Libraries was not a complaint about AGES at all, but about the Acrobat Reader on which they depend. Acrobat Reader used to enable rudimentary searches of the various AGES Libraries, but searching is not supported in any OS X-native version of Acrobat Reader. Consequently, OS X users must either do without the ability to search, or run an older version of Acrobat Reader in Classic. The good news is that Panther, the next generation of OS X, is supposed to include a new version of Preview which will search and scroll through PDF files faster than any other PDF reader on any other platform! Panther may therefore make the various AGES Libraries more powerful and more functional than ever before.

[Update: A reader has just informed me that Adobe Acrobat Reader 6 for OS X now supports full searching of AGES books, so AGES users can now happily abandon Classic, without the need not wait for Panther.]

Internet Bibles

They're free, they're functional, they're platform-independent, and in some cases, they provide access to copyrighted materials which many Bible software developers are unable to license: internet Bible study sites are making basic computer-aided Bible study universally available. Of course, the key word in that last sentence is "basic." Internet Bible study sites, for all their benefits, offer relatively limited functionality and can sometimes be a pain to use. They are often slow, only show a certain amount of information at a time, and do not offer the flexibility and interoperability of most Bible programs.

Seven percent of the survey respondents said they used internet Bible study resources. These included people who were not aware of any Bible software for the Mac, users of legacy Mac Bible programs looking for more up-to-date alternatives, users of PC or Palm software who wanted some way to study the Bible from their Macs, and one Mormon wanting to take advantage of the various LDS study aids which are available on the web. Sites mentioned included: Crosswalk.com, the Bible Gateway, the Blue Letter Bible, the Unbound Bible, the Net Bible, and (for Mormons) the LDS Scriptures.

PC Software

Fourteen percent of the survey respondents used some form of Windows Bible Study Software: either in emulation, or on a dedicated PC. More than half of these used it in conjunction with some form of Mac Bible software: many in order to have access to modules which are not yet available for their Mac software, some on office machines (when they have to), some because they are in the process of switching from the PC to Mac, and some because their legacy Mac Bible apps no longer meet their needs. Those that only used PC Bible Study software were usually not aware of any Mac alternatives. On the other hand, a couple of respondents were aware of the available Mac programs, and actually preferred their Windows software.

As I've mentioned previously, we'll look more at the survey respondents' perceptions of Windows Bible software in a separate article.

Palm Software

Six percent of the survey respondents said they used some form of Bible software for handheld computers. A few said the software for their handhelds was the only Bible software they used, but most also used some form of Mac Bible software. Most praised their Palm software as useful and elegant, and one described his Palm software as the best Bible software he has. A few users wished that they could synchronize the notes they've taken in their Mac Bible software with the notes capabilities of their Palm software, so that changes made on one machine could easily be transferred to the other.

Legacy Mac Software

Eleven percent of the survey respondents are still using legacy Mac Bible programs which are no longer being developed. Of these, the vast majority mentioned MacBible, which was often described as "simple," but which continued to draw high praise for its interface. One interesting irony of this is that MacBible was originally developed by Roy Brown, my boss and the current developer of Accordance (which was often criticized for its interface).

Other legacy Mac Bible programs which received mention were BibleViewer, the WORD Processor by Bible Research Systems, the Thompson Chain HyperBible (originally developed in HyperCard), and an unnamed HyperCard Bible Stack.

In most cases, the users of these legacy Mac apps have moved on to something else, and only use their older software on occasion, or when using older Macs. Still, it's interesting to see how long some of these legacy apps have remained useful.

Other Software

A few other programs and supplementary texts also received mention. MacSeisho is a Japanese language Bible program originally developed in HyperCard. The Exegesis Bible and the New Interpreter's Bible are either programs or electronic texts with which I'm not personally familiar, and for which no further description was given. Another respondent mentioned a CD-ROM of Fundamental Baptist texts, and still another a CD-ROM of Mormon materials in Folio format.

So What Have We Learned?

So what have we learned from our little Mac Bible Software survey? Well, the first thing I've learned is that surveys can be a lot of work! I promised to have this follow-up article posted in a few weeks, and it has taken me two months! To all those who have been waiting with interest to see the survey results, let me express my apologies for the delay and my thanks for your patience.

In spite of the effort involved in gathering, analyzing, and summarizing the survey results, I've also learned that such surveys can be tremendously helpful.

As a CMUG editor, this survey has revealed just how little accurate information about Mac Bible software is currently available, and how much of a need there is for a central place where such information can be found. At one time, the CMUG web-site featured a database of Christian software. Unfortunately, with no one to maintain it, the database got hopelessly out of date. Perhaps it's time to resurrect that service so that Christian Mac users can more easily get accurate information about software products of interest. (Any volunteers?) Some survey respondents wished there was a place where they could find comparative reviews of Christian software, and once again, CMUG is a natural place for that to happen. Yet again, qualified volunteers are needed. (Given my "conflict of interest," I am certainly not qualified to write such reviews.)

As a software developer, this survey has revealed to me that one's worst critics and most disgruntled customers are more likely just to go away frustrated than they are to contact you and complain. Surveys like this one are therefore invaluable for developers, because they can make you aware of opinions and perspectives which you may not hear (or hear as strongly) from your more appreciative users. I cannot speak for the other Mac Bible software developers (though I'm certain this will be true of them as well), but I can guarantee you that the feedback given in this survey will lead to significant improvements in future versions of Accordance.

Okay, that's what I've learned from this survey; now what have we learned? In other words, what can we conclude about the current state of Bible Software for the Mac? The picture which I think has been painted quite clearly is of a market in transition. The move to OS X has shaken up some of the established players (e.g.: Accordance must better accommodate a new interface standard, while Online Bible must complete the move to a new operating system), while creating opportunities for several new developers. At the moment, there are serious gaps in the market which need to be filled, and which have left some users feeling that there are no completely satisfactory choices. However, as Accordance and Online Bible do what they must in order to keep moving forward, and as the newer programs become more complete and contribute fresh ideas, I believe we'll see more and more Mac users pointing to their Bible software as one more reason why life is better with a Mac.

[If you would like to download a PDF copy of all the survey responses, click here. (Size: 1.3 MB)]


	Mac Bible Software Survey Results, Part 3 More of what you had to say about Bible Software for the Mac

MacSword: Open-Source Alternative Mac Sword is a "Mac OS X front end for the sword project," an Open Source project aimed at creating "an ever expanding software package for research and study of God and His Word." MacSword is currently beta software, and has apparently only been available to the public since November of 2002. It is currently used by two percent of the survey respondents. While MacSword's current functionality is somewhat limited, it does have one major advantage over new Bible programs such as iBible and Bible Reader Free: namely, the ability to add a wide variety of modules. These include English and foreign Bible translations, Greek and Hebrew texts, commentaries, dictionaries, classic Christian literature, etc. All of these modules are available for download at the Sword Project web-site, and it's all free of charge, enabling the user to build a fairly substantial library of older, public domain works. MacSword was praised for its Aqua interface and Unicode support, as well as for the ability to add numerous modules. Complaints included minor interface issues (not remembering window positions, etc.), lack of features, and the absence of modern, copyrighted books. Like iBible and Bible Reader Free, MacSword has a great deal of potential, and given its head start in terms of number of modules, it may actually have fewer obstacles to overcome. Then again, the Open Source nature of the Sword project may enable other developers to add hooks into those modules as well. It will certainly be interesting to see how these three new programs help to push the state of Mac Bible software forward in the coming months and years. AGES Digital Libraries AGES Digital Libraries are not Bible software per se, but collections of classic Christian books in PDF format. By publishing public domain books and Bibles as PDF files, AGES does not need to develop its own software, and can offer its materials for Windows, Mac, and even OS X. Three percent of the survey respondents used one or more AGES CD-ROMs, but it is interesting to note that every one of them also used some other software as their primary Bible program. The only major complaint about the AGES Libraries was not a complaint about AGES at all, but about the Acrobat Reader on which they depend. Acrobat Reader used to enable rudimentary searches of the various AGES Libraries, but searching is not supported in any OS X-native version of Acrobat Reader. Consequently, OS X users must either do without the ability to search, or run an older version of Acrobat Reader in Classic. The good news is that Panther, the next generation of OS X, is supposed to include a new version of Preview which will search and scroll through PDF files faster than any other PDF reader on any other platform! Panther may therefore make the various AGES Libraries more powerful and more functional than ever before. [Update: A reader has just informed me that Adobe Acrobat Reader 6 for OS X now supports full searching of AGES books, so AGES users can now happily abandon Classic, without the need not wait for Panther.] Internet Bibles They're free, they're functional, they're platform-independent, and in some cases, they provide access to copyrighted materials which many Bible software developers are unable to license: internet Bible study sites are making basic computer-aided Bible study universally available. Of course, the key word in that last sentence is "basic." Internet Bible study sites, for all their benefits, offer relatively limited functionality and can sometimes be a pain to use. They are often slow, only show a certain amount of information at a time, and do not offer the flexibility and interoperability of most Bible programs. Seven percent of the survey respondents said they used internet Bible study resources. These included people who were not aware of any Bible software for the Mac, users of legacy Mac Bible programs looking for more up-to-date alternatives, users of PC or Palm software who wanted some way to study the Bible from their Macs, and one Mormon wanting to take advantage of the various LDS study aids which are available on the web. Sites mentioned included: Crosswalk.com, the Bible Gateway, the Blue Letter Bible, the Unbound Bible, the Net Bible, and (for Mormons) the LDS Scriptures. PC Software Fourteen percent of the survey respondents used some form of Windows Bible Study Software: either in emulation, or on a dedicated PC. More than half of these used it in conjunction with some form of Mac Bible software: many in order to have access to modules which are not yet available for their Mac software, some on office machines (when they have to), some because they are in the process of switching from the PC to Mac, and some because their legacy Mac Bible apps no longer meet their needs. Those that only used PC Bible Study software were usually not aware of any Mac alternatives. On the other hand, a couple of respondents were aware of the available Mac programs, and actually preferred their Windows software. As I've mentioned previously, we'll look more at the survey respondents' perceptions of Windows Bible software in a separate article. Palm Software Six percent of the survey respondents said they used some form of Bible software for handheld computers. A few said the software for their handhelds was the only Bible software they used, but most also used some form of Mac Bible software. Most praised their Palm software as useful and elegant, and one described his Palm software as the best Bible software he has. A few users wished that they could synchronize the notes they've taken in their Mac Bible software with the notes capabilities of their Palm software, so that changes made on one machine could easily be transferred to the other. Legacy Mac Software Eleven percent of the survey respondents are still using legacy Mac Bible programs which are no longer being developed. Of these, the vast majority mentioned MacBible, which was often described as "simple," but which continued to draw high praise for its interface. One interesting irony of this is that MacBible was originally developed by Roy Brown, my boss and the current developer of Accordance (which was often criticized for its interface). Other legacy Mac Bible programs which received mention were BibleViewer, the WORD Processor by Bible Research Systems, the Thompson Chain HyperBible (originally developed in HyperCard), and an unnamed HyperCard Bible Stack. In most cases, the users of these legacy Mac apps have moved on to something else, and only use their older software on occasion, or when using older Macs. Still, it's interesting to see how long some of these legacy apps have remained useful. Other Software A few other programs and supplementary texts also received mention. MacSeisho is a Japanese language Bible program originally developed in HyperCard. The Exegesis Bible and the New Interpreter's Bible are either programs or electronic texts with which I'm not personally familiar, and for which no further description was given. Another respondent mentioned a CD-ROM of Fundamental Baptist texts, and still another a CD-ROM of Mormon materials in Folio format. So What Have We Learned? So what have we learned from our little Mac Bible Software survey? Well, the first thing I've learned is that surveys can be a lot of work! I promised to have this follow-up article posted in a few weeks, and it has taken me two months! To all those who have been waiting with interest to see the survey results, let me express my apologies for the delay and my thanks for your patience. In spite of the effort involved in gathering, analyzing, and summarizing the survey results, I've also learned that such surveys can be tremendously helpful. As a CMUG editor, this survey has revealed just how little accurate information about Mac Bible software is currently available, and how much of a need there is for a central place where such information can be found. At one time, the CMUG web-site featured a database of Christian software. Unfortunately, with no one to maintain it, the database got hopelessly out of date. Perhaps it's time to resurrect that service so that Christian Mac users can more easily get accurate information about software products of interest. (Any volunteers?) Some survey respondents wished there was a place where they could find comparative reviews of Christian software, and once again, CMUG is a natural place for that to happen. Yet again, qualified volunteers are needed. (Given my "conflict of interest," I am certainly not qualified to write such reviews.) As a software developer, this survey has revealed to me that one's worst critics and most disgruntled customers are more likely just to go away frustrated than they are to contact you and complain. Surveys like this one are therefore invaluable for developers, because they can make you aware of opinions and perspectives which you may not hear (or hear as strongly) from your more appreciative users. I cannot speak for the other Mac Bible software developers (though I'm certain this will be true of them as well), but I can guarantee you that the feedback given in this survey will lead to significant improvements in future versions of Accordance. Okay, that's what I've learned from this survey; now what have we learned? In other words, what can we conclude about the current state of Bible Software for the Mac? The picture which I think has been painted quite clearly is of a market in transition. The move to OS X has shaken up some of the established players (e.g.: Accordance must better accommodate a new interface standard, while Online Bible must complete the move to a new operating system), while creating opportunities for several new developers. At the moment, there are serious gaps in the market which need to be filled, and which have left some users feeling that there are no completely satisfactory choices. However, as Accordance and Online Bible do what they must in order to keep moving forward, and as the newer programs become more complete and contribute fresh ideas, I believe we'll see more and more Mac users pointing to their Bible software as one more reason why life is better with a Mac. [If you would like to download a PDF copy of all the survey responses, click here. (Size: 1.3 MB)]

		David Lang is CMUG's Content Editor. David works as a developer of Accordance Bible Software, and lives in Maitland, Florida with his wife and four children.