Mobile SwordSearcher?

I guess my bias against ongoing monthly fees is showing. My technology career began before PC's and I lived thru purchased software to the now monthly fee structure. I simply prefer to the purchase option since it allows me to manage my cost structure better. So if you take out this money issue you have my needs as to an android version. I am fine with the current Widows version and use it extensively as opposed to other free or low cost bible software versions. I like Logos, Olive Tree, Bibleworks, ... but not the price since I am retired.
 
Brandon Staggs said:
I certainly understand that, and I prefer not to get into subscriptions myself when I can avoid it. SwordSearcher is still a straightforward purchase and I have no plans to change that.
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I really appreciate that position, Brandon. I am very opposed to the subscription model, even though sometimes the numbers tell me it would be cheaper that way. (What's that say about my reasons?!)

I guess I just don't want to be committed to spending money in the future or have to remember to cancel something.

As someone who absolutely loves the ease and extensibility of SwordSearcher, though, I would happily do a subscription model if I could sync over various devices. It's just that I like SwordSearcher that much. Otherwise, I avoid subscriptions. I think even Adobe is going to eventually get me on-board with the subscription for InDesign, though, since my version 6 is getting so old I'll have no choice.

I could see me eventually maybe using a Surface Pro or something like that so that the device would be more portable and it'd still be possible to have SwordSearcher.
 
I work with other companies on stuff unrelated to SwordSearcher, and my experience there tells me that subscriptions are going to be the way productivity software is "sold" in the future (we are probably 75% there already!). I don't see any question about it. The explosive growth of productivity software purchases is over, just as the entire PC market is no longer growing. Companies are forced to sell subscriptions to keep going when they can no longer fund operations through new licensee acquisition. It's just the way it is.

The Adobe thing is a good example. I have not personally subscribed to Creative Cloud because the CS5 Suite I bought years ago still works for me. But most professionals in the spaces that Adobe services have already moved on and are fully on board with it. Sure, there are a few people who still refuse, but 99% of the market is there, and there is no turning back.

But again, just to be clear, I will resist this for a very long time for SwordSearcher. I much prefer to simply sell what I offer as a straightforward purchase. I don't even like the à la carte method of selling each individual module for a price as almost all of the other Bible software publishers do.
 
I realize I'm the lonely one here......but I would gladly pay a subscription to have something that works cross platform. I have close to 10 years of notes and a user commentary in SS. I very much would like to have that available to me on my phone or my Chromebook. For a number of reasons I am not very enthused about a new Windows laptop. The only reason I would buy it is to run SS and that in turn makes SS more expensive for me than paying a subscription. Several times I have made some moves to switch to Logos or Olive Tree because they offer this. I always come back because of two reasons: Swordseacher works very very well. I love the way it is set up. The other reason is like I mentioned. I have all my notes from years gone by in it. Right now I am going to go read the Bible and I will have it open and make notes as I read. Thank you!
 
monteu said:
For a number of reasons I am not very enthused about a new Windows laptop. The only reason I would buy it is to run SS and that in turn makes SS more expensive for me than paying a subscription.
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You should seriously consider using virtualization -- VMWare or Parallels (both have been mentioned here). This would allow you to buy any reasonable hardware and still run SwordSearcher. A Chromebook is out of the question -- there is no way it would be up to the task -- but if you are set against a Windows machine, you can still use a Mac to run Windows software like SwordSearcher...

I am thinking that some day I will write up my thoughts on this topic and where the industry is heading. Like your 20 years of notes, I have 20 years of full-time development work in SwordSearcher to bring it where it is today. Many people (not you) assume that I am just holding back on non-Windows platforms out of spite or laziness. The reality is that those 20 years cannot just be shifted to other platforms. One of the reasons SwordSearcher works the way it does, performance-wise, is because I have always tried to do my best to understand the Windows platform and program to its strengths and take advantage of all that it offers, which I assure you as a developer, is well in advance of other systems like OSX or Linux. This strength is also a weakness in the sense that it makes it much more difficult to transition to other platforms. What many people assume is just me "pressing a button" to "make it work" on their Mac or on their phone, is in reality an entirely new application designed from almost ground-level. Since SwordSearcher is an extremely small business, there is no revenue from which to fund a new project independent of the Windows work. It would literally mean me discontinuing the current development for a long period of time to make something new.

This is something I am always reconsidering and listening to the Lord on... I am always re-evaluating the math and the current tools available to me.
 
Brandon Staggs said:
I am thinking that some day I will write up my thoughts on this topic and where the industry is heading. Like your 20 years of notes, I have 20 years of full-time development work in SwordSearcher to bring it where it is today. Many people (not you) assume that I am just holding back on non-Windows platforms out of spite or laziness. The reality is that those 20 years cannot just be shifted to other platforms. One of the reasons SwordSearcher works the way it does, performance-wise, is because I have always tried to do my best to understand the Windows platform and program to its strengths and take advantage of all that it offers, which I assure you as a developer, is well in advance of other systems like OSX or Linux. This strength is also a weakness in the sense that it makes it much more difficult to transition to other platforms. What many people assume is just me "pressing a button" to "make it work" on their Mac or on their phone, is in reality an entirely new application designed from almost ground-level. Since SwordSearcher is an extremely small business, there is no revenue from which to fund a new project independent of the Windows work. It would literally mean me discontinuing the current development for a long period of time to make something new.

<…> I am always re-evaluating the math and the current tools available to me.
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I am with you 100% on this. Better to have one platform that works well than 2 or more that are less than great. Yours is very much a niche business, and the market probably just isn't there to branch out with the hopes of pulling in enough new sales to pay someone else to do programming so the Windows app can stay great and some other platform's app can become great.
 
SwordSearcher is "MY MISSING LINK" between The ALMIGHTY Lord Jesus Christ, and my wretched soul, I "DEPEND" on it. It is like my breathing apparatus.
Also with all the data in MY SwordSearcher, which it is humongous, I don't wanna start over again.
Please Sir, do not abort your future development on SS8, I use my phone to call my friends, BUT I use my SwordSearcher to call upon the Lord, to know what HE has to teach me.
I am using 3 screens for SS8, how could I fit that in a 3" x 4" screen ??????
PLUS,(SS8 users): the time is already here where they spy into your phones, aren't you afraid of christian's persecution???
I really am afraid of how they can get to your phones....scary.
If you would read SS8 all the way,(KJV.) you would know these things by now.(christian's persecution). At least; I can turn off my WiFi on my PC. (just saying!)
Sorry, I really get exited about the Lord's coming.
 
Johnny NL said:
SwordSearcher is "MY MISSING LINK" between The ALMIGHTY Lord Jesus Christ, and my wretched soul, I "DEPEND" on it. It is like my breathing apparatus.
Also with all the data in MY SwordSearcher, which it is humongous, I don't wanna start over again.
Please Sir, do not abort your future development on SS8, I use my phone to call my friends, BUT I use my SwordSearcher to call upon the Lord, to know what HE has to teach me.
I am using 3 screens for SS8, how could I fit that in a 3" x 4" screen ??????
PLUS,(SS8 users): the time is already here where they spy into your phones, aren't you afraid of christian's persecution???
I really am afraid of how they can get to your phones....scary.
If you would read SS8 all the way,(KJV.) you would know these things by now.(christian's persecution). At least; I can turn off my WiFi on my PC. (just saying!)
Sorry, I really get exited about the Lord's coming.
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I agree... SwordSearcher is so much more than just a Bible Program... it is a life breathing tool that the Holy Ghost uses for me too that allows me to FELLOWSHIP with the Lord :)
As far as spying on your phone... yep but; they do the same thing with your PC and with many T.V. / display screens. And your PC "talks" to your phone in the background too, sending signals that confirm what web site you are on and what items you were browsing... and so on.
You/we are tracked by face recognition just walking into participating stores on their camera's. Your phone tracks your voice, location, past locations, contacts, ... and facebook... do you use that? Everyone you know and think you know and who knows you and someone who might know you... well... it leaves no place to "hide".

2Tim 3:12
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.


 
Indeed I agree in all...
And I do use any Social Media tool... none!
Here in Canada, they have begin "micro chipping" people, we DO have 2 restaurants operating "fully cashless", just credit card, bank card, or chip !!!!
Revelations 13 at its full "steam ahead" !!! :eek:
But like Luke 10: 23-24, Blessed are the eyes ...
I also love to use the "car right mirror" quote: " Objects are closer than they appear"
God bless you !
 
I have longed to be able to use SS on any device. Maybe set up an on line SS copy (like a private website with SS) that any purchaser has access to... than create an app that only has our personal modules in it where we can link to SS on line. I would pay a yearly fee to have access to such as long as it connected with my modules on a device.

I have SS open most of the day and use it all the time. I have my journals, books and notes in modules. I use SS for searching, studying and reading.
 
I believe the best way to do SS for mobile is to design it similar to the Logos Bible app. They have separate windows for "Topic Guide" and "Search" and "Bible view" plus "Notes." All it takes is a swipe and you can see any of those windows. To have mobile access to notes and the search functions of SS would be excellent, especially if all of your notes are synced. Being able to click on a reference with a small popup to show the reference (and even the context) would be extremely helpful. Logos does some of these things, but I don't like their Ecumenical stance, and lack of good material in their libraries. Just my two cents worth if it's worth that much.
 
Just one plea: THANK YOU BRANDON & TEAM FOR ANY FUTURE UPGRADES TO SWORD SEARCHER...B U T...PLEASE KEEP IT SIMPLE!
I HOPE THIS PROGRAM NEVER GOES THE WAY OF LOGOS ETC ETC.
Thx and God bless.
 
bible tom said:
Just one plea: THANK YOU BRANDON & TEAM FOR ANY FUTURE UPGRADES TO SWORD SEARCHER...B U T...PLEASE KEEP IT SIMPLE!
I HOPE THIS PROGRAM NEVER GOES THE WAY OF LOGOS ETC ETC.
Thx and God bless.
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Just so you know, Brandon is a team of himself, blessed by our Lord.
 
Honestly, I would just like to access the library and be able to read the books on my phone. Do searches within the Bible and also within the library. Highlighting and underlining would be good too. That's pretty much all I would need.
 
Johnny NL said:
SwordSearcher is "MY MISSING LINK" between The ALMIGHTY Lord Jesus Christ, and my wretched soul, I "DEPEND" on it. It is like my breathing apparatus.
Also with all the data in MY SwordSearcher, which it is humongous, I don't wanna start over again.
Please Sir, do not abort your future development on SS8, I use my phone to call my friends, BUT I use my SwordSearcher to call upon the Lord, to know what HE has to teach me.
I am using 3 screens for SS8, how could I fit that in a 3" x 4" screen ??????
PLUS,(SS8 users): the time is already here where they spy into your phones, aren't you afraid of christian's persecution???
I really am afraid of how they can get to your phones....scary.
If you would read SS8 all the way,(KJV.) you would know these things by now.(christian's persecution). At least; I can turn off my WiFi on my PC. (just saying!)
Sorry, I really get exited about the Lord's coming.
Click to expand...
Amen I feel the same. My phone used for one thing; computer for another. That's my simple world but it works for me. If SS ever gets overly complicated, I will just go back to a Bible and spiral bound Notebooks. 😊
 
Brandon Staggs said:
I have no plans to do that. :)
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So I am a little confused on this thread. Are you simply not going to consider doing a mobile version of SS for phones, say android?

And, no, you don't have to reiterate your reasonings. I read and understand your position as to why you have been "faithful" (poor word choice, perhaps, but can't think of a better adjective) to MS. But just wanted to clarify that point for my own curiosity.

There are 2 very good android study Bibles, and one okay android study Bible. SS would blow them both away. But if it is never to be, then I get it...

But I realized a long time ago, you are never closed off to your users requests, input and even hopes & dreams...
 
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