From: Scobie Smith (Scobie@logos.com)
Date: Thu Apr 25 1996 - 15:36:00 EDT
I'm on the development team at Logos Research Systems, which is
developing the Anchor CD for Doubleday. The search-features of the ABD
CD will let you do more than you would with a print-index. The CD is
still under beta-review, but it is near completion.
Since Doubleday is marketing it themselves (and not Logos), they have
determined the price themselves. It's a pity it's going to be too
expensive for some, especially when compared with falling prices of other
electronic books. I hope that maybe in time the price will drop.
I personally have doubts about a printed index -- at least we're not
developing one. It wouldn't be able to do complex boolean-type searches
for you in any event....
Scobie P. Smith
Sr. Editor, Biblical and Ancient Languages
Software Developer
Logos Research Systems
2117 200th Ave. West
Oak Harbor, WA 98277
scobie@logos.com
----------
From: owner-b-greek[SMTP:owner-b-greek@virginia.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 1996 3:55 PM
To: Don Heatley
Cc: b-greek
Subject: Re: Anchor Bible Dictionary
Don,
I share your > layperson with an interest in Bible scholarship<
designation,
so I felt I could comfortably respond to your post on the value of the
Anchor Bible Dictionary.
Short answer: It's a great resource: comprehensive, current, and
balanced.
You'll be glad you have it.
Long answer:
As I recall, the reviews were all quite favorable, given the fact that no
work can cover all aspects, plus some reviewers have different
priorities
than those governing what went into ABD. I've had a copy for over two
years
now, consider myself an amateur in the field, and use it with almost
everything I'm researching--whether for papers or just curiosity. Mostly,
it's terrific, especially with core concepts and archeological
information.
But the absence of an index drives me crazy! Sometimes I just give up in
frustration. Other times, I'm amazed at where things turn up. For
example,
you'd expect to find Spirit under "S" right? Wrong. Not even a cross
reference. Try Pneuma--nothing. Finally dug it up under *Holy Spirit*!
How
many entries in a *bible* dictionary could be catalogued under "Holy
......"
Also, there are a few gaps--mostly, I've been told, because authors
didn't
get their pieces in after having the assignment for years. So Doubleday
(Freedman, actually, I suppose) just had to go to press without them. But
I
imagine that this happens with any kind of massive compilation.
Doubleday was touting their forth-coming CD version at last year's SBL
meeting in Philadelphia (nearby, which is why I could go). I'm looking
forward to it because it will solve the index problem, though I'd still
rather read from a book than off a screen. Also--though I'm
speculating--maybe once ABD is on CD they'll be able to publish an index
in
print form.
One last thing. Though you say you've ordered it, you're still asking
questions. This leads me to believe that your order is pending, in which
case I can tell you that if you're paying more than $200.00, you're
paying
too much. That's what it goes for at Christian Book Distributors (contact
me
if you need the specifics).
Hope this helps.
Tony Prete
Haddonfield, N.J
(609) 428-1203.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat Apr 20 2002 - 15:37:41 EDT