[sword-devel] comments on SWORD from the outside...

[Joel Mawhorter]

On Sun, 12 Dec 1999, you wrote:
> Thanks Chris,
> 
> 	Super user interface and flexibility?  What's that about?  Who is this
> Friar anyway? :)  Actually though, I would love to hear WHAT it is that
> he uses in OLB that we don't give him in a better interface so that we
> might improve.
> 
> 	-Troy.
> 

Hi Troy and Chris,

I have used OLB for Macintosh quite a bit so I can comment on that
version. From what little experience I have had with OLB for Windows, I don't
think I liked the Windows version as much. One thing that is nice about OLBMac
is that it is very simple; unlike something like Logos, it doesn't try to be
more than Bible study software. I think there is something to be said for this
approach. I believe that a good way to develop software is to pick a small
number of tasks for a piece of software to do and implement them very well.
Here are some of the things I like about OLB Mac. Full Boolean search (e.g. Love
& Joy ! Peace). Multiple windows. Most of the time I am using OLB Mac I have
more than one translation open for the same passage. I especially like the
"Sync. with" feature. This lets me move through a text in one window with
another translation in another window moving with me. However the main reason
that I still use OLB is that I haven't taken the time to convert my NIV, NASB,
and other commercial translations over to SWORD. However, SWORD is open
software and has a Linux front end which are two important features for me.

There is my 2 bits worth. I hope I gave you some useful feedback.

Joel

> 
> > I found the following on the the Online Bible's user discussion board.
> > Someone apparently thinks OLB has a superior interface & flexibility.  (I'll
> > assume they're comparing to the Windows FE.)  I'm a little confused by this
> > since I can't say that I've ever run into a worse interface than OLB's, but
> > I thought I'd pass it on that we are getting some mention out there...
> > 
> > --Chris Little