Re: Software for Biblical Studies

Jonathan Robie (jwrobie@mindspring.com)
Tue, 26 Nov 1996 12:37:55 -0500

At 11:24 AM 11/26/96 -0500, Barnabe436@aol.com wrote:
>For some time I've looked around to find some good software that allows more
>sophisticated work with the GNT (and the BHS). I've stumbled on four
>packages: Logos 2.0, BibleWorks, BibleWindows and Gramcord. Does anyone have
>experience with one or more of these products and could recommend what is the
>best option. As a graduate student more than ten years ago I used an ancient
>version of Gramcord (with 8 inch disks and hours to wait for a search to
>complete). Hoping for some good ideas
>In Christ
>E.H. Norbert Schmidt, Tabor Seminary, Germany

What exactly do you want to do with the package? Your needs will determine
the software best for you.

The only one I know well enough to comment is Gramcord. I have been able to
do very sophisticated searches, and they run *fast* on Windows. For
instance, when Carl Conrad pointed out that genitive participles often
signal absolute genitives, and that the participle usually comes before the
corresponding noun or pronoun, I was able to do a search for genitive
participles followed by a genitive noun or pronoun which agrees with the
participle in case, gender, and number, then do a second search which had
the participle second and the noun or pronoun first. On my 486, the search
took about 6 seconds. I don't believe that any of the other packages can do
this kind of sophisticated search.

On the Mac, I'm completely blown away by Accordance.

Jonathan

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