SwordSearcher 5.1 Released

Brandon Staggs

Brandon Staggs

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SwordSearcher version 5.1 is now available.

As always, existing customers can upgrade at a significant discount.

For information on upgrading (upgrade policy) or to download a free program file update, see the Upgrade FAQ.

A complete revision history is available.

Here is what's new in 5.1, since 5.0:

  • Added Andrew Miller?s Church History (AMHistory) book module. (CD-ROM Only)
  • Added Great Preaching of the Faith (GPreaching) book module. (CD-ROM Only)
  • Added Torrey?s The Fundamentals (TFund) book module. (CD-ROM Only)
  • Added Seven Books by Sir Robert Anderson (RAnderson) book module. (CD-ROM Only)
  • Bug fixes in KJV16 module. (CD-ROM Only)
  • Added several synchronization features and preference options to the Sync Options page of the Preferences dialog:
    • Added options for action taken when double-clicking on a word in a Bible panel. Options are:
      • Open closest entry in active Book (default),
      • Open closest entry in Webster's 1828 Dictionary,
      • Open closest entry in user-specified book module,
      • Open Topic Guide,
      • Do nothing.
    • Double-clicking a word in the Book or Commentary panel opens the Topic Guide. (This can be disabled in Sync preferences.)
    • Double-clicking a verse reference tag in the Bible panel performs the same actions as using the Go To Verse box. (Can be disabled in Sync preferences.)
    • Added specific commentary option for Go To Verse Sync preferences.
  • Added "set individual panel properties" option in font and color preferences. Using this option it is possible to set different fonts and colors for each panel type (Bible, Book, Commentary, Verse List).
  • Expanded right-click menus for Bible, Books, and Commentary library tabs to provide lists of tabs with complete names as an alternative means of accessing modules.
  • Added Library Table of Contents Tool (on Search menu, or Shift+Alt+T)
  • Added +/- key press function for focused panels displaying highlighted search results. Pressing + or - keys ?cycle? each highlighted search result into view.
  • Added "Find in focused panel text" search option -- like a word processor "find next" function. (Ctrl+F shortcut for focused text panel.) Searches the text displayed in the active panel (rather than the entire module).
  • Significant overall performance improvements, especially when changing panel configuration and switching between books and commentaries.
  • Other minor improvements and enhancements.
  • Various improvements and bug fixes for panel layout configuration, toggling, etc.
  • Fixed some dialog boxes not responding to Esc keypress.
  • Fixed crash error when trying to do certain invalid phrase or Boolean expression searches.
  • Fixed incorrect enabling of "Export User Book/Cmt" options on User menu (they are now shown as disabled when there are none to export).
  • Fixed user module build progress dialog sometimes staying visible even after build is complete.
  • Improved internal "closest matching entry" selection method for book panel when double-clicking a word in Bible text.
  • Fixed bug with Book menu where selecting a book from the menu could under some circumstances not load the proper entry in the panel.
  • Fixed resource tabs not appearing according to user preferences in some cases.
  • Other minor bug fixes.
 
Congratulations Brandon on 5.1.

Thanks for your hard work and dedication to always provide the best in Bible study software to your users. Truly a labor of love.
 
Brandon,
I do not mean to be a stipler here but I would like to know why it would cost a current Version 5.X user $19.95 for SS Version 5.1 when before to go from 4.X to 5.X it was $19.95 for a current 4.X user? I may be shooting myself in the foot here. It seems to me that the cost would be lower as long as the current 5.X user is within the range of 5.X to 6.X. If upgrading to 6.X, I then would understand in paying $19.95 again. I figured for every version increase within the parent version range (5.X to 6.X at $19.95 I would be paying $199.95 for the entire range within that version range. Why would the next version update be $19.95 within the current version range and not a lower cost? Of course I realize that at $49.95 it would cost $499.95 for the same range. I would have to agree that $199.95 is way better than $499.95. I believe this is a legitimate question and heads up for future versions to come dealing with cost to the customer. Again, I really do appreciate SS and all you do with it in programming and I enjoy using it. It is a great benefit. Thanks and God Bless...
 
eddiefrye said:
Brandon,
I do not mean to be a stipler here but I would like to know why it would cost a current Version 5.X user $19.95 for SS Version 5.1 when before to go from 4.X to 5.X it was $19.95 for a current 4.X user? I may be shooting myself in the foot here. It seems to me that the cost would be lower as long as the current 5.X user is within the range of 5.X to 6.X. If upgrading to 6.X, I then would understand in paying $19.95 again. I figured for every version increase within the parent version range (5.X to 6.X at $19.95 I would be paying $199.95 for the entire range within that version range. Why would the next version update be $19.95 within the current version range and not a lower cost? Of course I realize that at $49.95 it would cost $499.95 for the same range. I would have to agree that $199.95 is way better than $499.95. I believe this is a legitimate question and heads up for future versions to come dealing with cost to the customer. Again, I really do appreciate SS and all you do with it in programming and I enjoy using it. It is a great benefit. Thanks and God Bless...
Click to expand...


I understand the question.

Firstly, please keep in mind that program file updates, where the bug fixes and new features and enhancements are, are always available at no cost within a major version (such as 5.0 to 5.1). See the Upgrade FAQ page to download the free program update.

Version 4.x of SwordSearcher went for about 5 years with these free program updates available and it wasn't until version 4.8 was upgraded to 5.0 that there was no download upgrade option (and even then the reasons were technical).

To answer your questions: I understand it may seem inequitable that someone with 4.1 or 4.2 (etc) can pay the same price to upgrade to the latest CD as someone with 5.0, but really it's not. Someone with such an older version has not been using the newer versions, so charging them more would be like charging them for something they never used. We did consider a tiered upgrade price system, but it was determined that the added work of making sure people only ordered the upgrade they qualify for at the right price (and expecting users to be able to easily determine this information) would needlessly complicate matters.

We have a lot of customers who always upgrade to new CD versions immediately when they are available. We have others who "leapfrog" and upgrade every other or three releases. Others still never upgrade their CDs and just download the free program updates. Everyone has to decide for themselves which route to go. In my view, $20 is a bargain for an upgrade price when the purchase gets you a new CD, but maybe that's because upgrading my development tools every year (which I do) costs thousands of dollars. :)

For the upgrade CDs, it comes down to the fact that we don't charge for individual library items like many other software packages do. Instead of coming out with four new library items (as an example) and charging $20 or more for each one, we simply add them all to the Deluxe library and offer the updated library, in toto, for $20. It keeps things simple and inexepensive.
 
Brandon Staggs said:
For the upgrade CDs, it comes down to the fact that we don't charge for individual library items like many other software packages do. Instead of coming out with four new library items (as an example) and charging $20 or more for each one, we simply add them all to the Deluxe library and offer the updated library, in toto, for $20. It keeps things simple and inexepensive.
Click to expand...

Brandon, congratulations on the new release.

I was also wondering about this a little bit, and once again I appreciate your willingness to be honest and transparent on all matters with all.

And, of course, I do think each new version -- usually with new library items AND user-friendly improvements -- are worth it.
 
Thanks for all your effort on the new release, Brandon! Once again, when I tell myself that it can't get any better than this, you prove me wrong! ?Muchas felicitaciones!
 
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