Zondervan announced in an email I received today:
Zondervan is discontinuing its Pradis® line of software. Technical support will continue until June 1, 2010 . Zondervan content can be found on multiple platforms and across many devices from e-book readers such as the Kindle and Sony Reader, to mobile devices such as the iPhone and BlackBerry. In 2010, new software titles will become available for use with Logos Bible Software.Here's the full news release. (BTW, as part of this deal, if you have $1999.95 sitting around, you can buy 87 Zondervan books on Logos pre-pub. Accordance notes that they have had Zondervan resources already available for some time.)
Can't say that I am surprised that Pradis is closing shop... Pradis sort of occupied a middle ground between the high end products like Accordance, BibleWorks, and Logos and the more popular programs like QuickVerse or WORDsearch/BibleExplorer. (QuickVerse appears to continue to develop the product, but I'm wondering how much longer they will survive too.) The only other Bible software programs designed for non-mobile systems that I think will hang on are the free ones like e-Sword, LaParola, The Sword Project, or OnlineBible. (The latter is something of a misnomer, since you do need to download the program.) Laridian appears to be carving out a specific niche by offering software that runs on all sorts of mobile devices as well as a Windows-based PCs, and it allows you to sync up between your various devices. I have to imagine that it is a struggle for companies delivering software for mobile devices (like Laridian and OliveTree) to keep ahead of the changes and support the variety of platforms, but they are delivering products for an expanding market. Unless we all move to the cloud and do all our Bible computing on the web...
I have found it interesting to read in several places Accordance users emphasize that they have had Zondervan products for some time. I don't get that really. When Accordance announces that they are getting something that Logos I don't feel compelled to write that Logos has had that product for some time. (And by the way, I'm a Mac user)
ReplyDeleteI think the end result of having many great resources on multiple excellent platforms is a win for everyone.
"The only other Bible software programs designed for non-mobile systems that I think will hang on are the free ones"
ReplyDeletewhat about WORDsearch? :)
I would put WORDsearch (or the Bible Explorer4 implementation which I have it) in the popular category with QuickVerse. They offer a load of free resources which makes it attractive. You can get some Greek/Hebrew in these packages, but they don't offer the kind of high level searching and text manipulation as is possible with Accordance, BibleWorks, or Logos.
ReplyDeleteHere is another great (and free) Bible program: http://www.theword.gr/
ReplyDelete