Review of PC Study Bible 4 Complete Reference Library

I HAVE REVISED THIS REVIEW IN LIGHT OF THE RESPONSE (SEE ABOVE) FROM KIRT WILLIS, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE PUBLISHER
(...)
I have been a user of PC Study Bible since version 2 in 1998. the new interface in v4 alleviates most of the problems from previous versions which showed their DOS/early Windows roots. The incremental releases, up to the current v4.3 have also added some additional functionality that is much appreciated.

In addition, my experience with Biblesoft's customer support has been extremely positive. They are prompt to answer and always answer thoroughly.

What bothers me is that when I bought my original version back in '98 I was pretty green with knowledge of various Bible study tools (commentaries, lexicons, etc). I have since discovered that over half of the resources that Biblesoft included in this "Complete Reference Library" set are public domain and can be found for free on the web or in other programs. Even the "Bonus CD" has a large percentage of public domain resources.

I still own PCSB and use it when needed. However, I have discovered e-Sword, a free Bible study program with many free resources available for it, many of which you would have to pay for with PCSB. While perhaps not as flexible, it has suited my studies just fine. Plus, there is a very active online community of e-Sword users (primarily on Yahoo Groups) that have made many other resources available for free as well offering help when needed. There are also some free, third party tools available for creating your own resources in e-Sword, similar to the "Authoring System" in PCSB.

Biblesoft, like most commercial bible study software publishers, seems to be built on a business model of selling you their base "package" products and then charging extra for add-ons, which are the things you really want. But it has been my experience that other companies such as Logos and WordSearch include fewer public domain resources in their base package offerings than Biblesoft does. Why pay over $250 for mostly public domain materials?

PCSB is great as a general study tool and the authoring system is nice (though not as good as the one in Bible Explorer.) While PC Study Bible does offer some things that you can't get for free (online or with e-Sword, etc.) there are other commercially available products that I think are better and more powerful, especially if you are planning to get into original language studies. I'd personally recommend the Logos Bible Study Software as a good choice.



Product Description
PC Study Bible Version 4 from BIBLESOFT includes 41 Bibles!It gives you the tools you need to explore the heart and depths of every Bible passage -multiple Bible translations and concordances, an entire library of unparalleled reference works, full-color maps and photos, personal study and authoring tools, online resources and free downloads, an easy-to-use interface, and so much more!

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Review of PC Study Bible Reference Library Plus 3.0

Frankly, I've been somewhat disappointed with this software.Lots of translations for the money, and Barnes' Notes are excellent, but there are lots of flaws and annoyances.Most notable is what appears to be a memory leak: system resources are constantly low even after opening only 3-4 screens (this on a 1Ghz PIII w/256M RAM and 30G free disk).Another example is that you cannot do a FIND within a window.The Henry commentary is somewhat difficult to search as you look for commentary on a specific verse.You get the idea. The contents are there, but the execution, the "glue," isn't all that great.



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Review of PC Study Bible New Reference Library 3.0

I have been a user of PC Bible Software for over six years, I highly recomend this program, it is a great resource and will certainly enhance your Bible study and knowledge. It is user friendly and has a built in macro that works with Word to automatically add Bible verses to your doc. with a click of the mouse. GREAT PRODUCT!!



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Review of PC Study Bible Version 4 Reference Library Plus

Since 1991 I have invested over $500 in PC Study Bible software, including upgrades.
In the fall of 08 I ordered Preaching and Teaching from the Old Testament, as advertised in Biblesoft News, Vol 11, No 6. It included Version 5 Program-ONLY UPGRADE. To say I am VERY DISAPPOINTED is a gross understatement. The way Word Study was implemented in the old DOS version was what made Bible Soft a great program. Unfortunately through one of the upgrades I have lost this feature. To their credit, they do honor their unconditional money back guarantee. (The last upgrade only)

PC Study Bible has some neat features (maps, pictures etc.) that are nice to have but that I rarely use. Overall, comparatively, it is very expensive, very slow and very cumbersome. For serious study I now use Power Bible CD 5.4 (on both my computers, one is a new laptop) and PC Study Bible, DOS Version 3.1 Word Study Series (1993 edition) on my Windows 98 desktop machine. By the way, Study Bible 3.1 runs very quickly in a DOS window on my Windows 98 desktop.

Power Bible CD is greased lightening compared to PC Study Bible. As a comparison, PCSB takes 2 minutes, 17 seconds just to launch the application. Power Bible CD launches in 11 seconds. This is on the same computer. I would say that is a fair comparison on how fast they do just about anything, even something as simple as closing a window. For $19.00 you can buy one licensed copy of Power Bible CD and get one free, one of which you are encouraged to give to a friend (http://www.powerbible.com/). Features are comparable to BibleSoft except for (Vines) Greek Hebrew Word Study, pictures and maps. It does include Strongs dictionary, along with numerous other dictionaries, commentaries and many versions of the Bible. Check out the website.


Product Description
For those who want a more robust Bible software library, but do not want "too much", Biblesofts PC Study Bible Reference Library Plus offers additional commentaries and dictionaries as well as other valuable reference works. Heres what is included: [BIBLES & CONCORDANCES] NIV, NKJV, KJV, ASV, NLT, NASB & NASB Updated Edition, RVR (Spanish), Exhaustive Concordances [CROSS REFERENCES] Nave's Topical Bible, Treasury of Scripture Knowledge [DICTIONARIES & ENCYCLOPEDIAS] Nelson, Fausset, New Unger, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [COMMENTARY SETS] Matthew Henry, Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Adam Clarke, Barnes' Notes [GREEK & HEBREW HELPS] Strong's Concordance, Englishman's Concordance, Thayer's Greek Definitions, BDB Hebrew Definitions, Interlinear Bible [WORD STUDIES] Vine's Expository Dictionary [OTHER STUDY HELPS] Bible Maps & Photos, Hymnal, Personal Notes, Biblesoft Authoring System, Appendable Clipboard, Bible Reading Planner [BONUS CONTENT] Included: 50 free titles from famous Christian writers like Luther, Wesley, Bunyan, and more / Upon registration: Spurgeon's Encyclopedia of Sermons, The Apocalypse by J.A. Seiss, The Fundamentals of Christianity by R.A. Torrey

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Review of PC Study Bible Version 5 New Reference Library

This software is very handy. It has a lot of resources and features that make it great for study and lesson preparation. I have an older version of this, and love it. This one was bought as a gift. The recipient is happy with it and has been using it since receiving it. Biblesoft has several levels of the software, from very basic, to a ton of resources. This being said, check them all out and pick the one that suits you best. I prefer this one, because it has all the features that most people need. Again, pick yours to fit your preferences. Enjoy!

Product Description
Experience how easy it is to dramatically increase the effectiveness and enjoyment of your study time with a program that expertly organizes information around any Scripture or topic you wish to study. The New Reference Library™ includes 63 Bible translations, commentaries, dictionaries, encyclopedias, historical and cultural references and other word study references selected Bibles and reference works from among the most respected authors and publishers today. Why frustrate yourself with difficult-to-use software or worse searching a multitude of websites with incomplete and unlinked results? Stop searching and start studying with a source you can trust - PC Study Bible Version 5!

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Review of PC Study Bible Discovery Reference Library [CD-ROM] (CD-ROM)

I have PC Study Bible Version 5.0C new reference libary. Version 5 has bugs. Will not copy chapters of the Bible. In Version 2 you could copy with no problem.

Do not buy until they have a Version 6.
Harold

Product Description
PC Study Bible Discovery Reference Library Version 4 helps you make the most of your Bible study. Nothing is more personal, or more precious, than the time you devote to studying Scripture. This reference collection allows you complete freedom to study The Word your way. Easily jump from one resource to another, or focus on a specific verse, a theme, even a single word. With its wide array of Bibles and Concordances, plus dictionaries, commentaries and other reference resources, Discovery Reference Library sheds new light on the majesty and power of God's Word.Enrich your studies with maps, photos, personal journaling tools and a Bible Reading Planner Use the BIBLESOFT Authoring System to create your own supplemental Bible study materials Appendable Clipboard transfers materials from your Bible study program to your word processor - even Greek and Hebrew characters transfer with ease!

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Review of PC Study Bible Version 5 Discovery Reference Library

I am Very Happy with PC Study Bible 5 it has a lot more options then the previous version i used and very easy to work with. It got to me in a timely fashion and I have no complaints.

Product Description
Experience how easy it is to dramatically increase the effectiveness and enjoyment of your study time with a program that expertly organizes information around any Scripture or topic you wish to study. The Discovery Reference Library™ includes 51 Bible translations, commentaries, dictionaries, encyclopedias, historical and cultural references and other word study references in 112 volumes! It's all the Bibles and reference works you need to study anytime - no need to connect to online resources. Why frustrate yourself with difficult-to-use software or worse searching a multitude of websites with incomplete and unlinked results? Stop searching and start studying with a source you can trust - PC Study Bible Version 5!

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