BibleWorks announces the release of version 8 of its biblical exegesis and research software (see full press release).

Some of the new program features include comprehensive analysis tabs in the Analysis Window, phrase matching tool and related verses tool, new formatting for exporting text, cross-reference window, an alternate set of Greek NT diagrams, external resources manager and English Bible text-to-speech. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. Check out this page for a more complete list of new features and databases, or this one for a full list of the newly added content. You may also want to download this PDF brochure to learn more about BibleWorks 8.

Jerry Foster has updated his Bible software reviews with the addition of two more programs, PocketBible for Windows and PC Study Bible. I think you will find them interesting.

World of Apple carries a very extensive review of Accordance 8. Its author, Dee Dee Warren, does a very thorough job, and if you leave a comment you can win a free Library 8 Introductory Level package (priced at $99), which isn’t bad at all.

It’s good to see other people writing comprehensive reviews. Now, who said my reviews were long…?

Mark Vitalis Hoffman (more commonly known online as MGVH), has posted an analysis of the mapping resources found in the new QuickVerse 2009. The review focuses particularly on the new integration between QV’s maps and Google Maps. I recommend you check it out.

I have always said that Bible software is not an end in itself. What really matters is what you do with it. So I am always on the look out for examples of practical applications. Today I found a nice one here. When I first read Rodney J. Decker’s question over at the Accordance Forums, little did I know what he was up to. Now I know, and I like it. It is always good to see people using Bible programs to carry on daily tasks, but also to do research and apply them to things that may not be immediately obvious.

P.S. The title of this entry was inspired by Gordon Fee’s To What End Exegesis?, which happens to be on the shelf in front of my desk.

The Windows and Mac versions of ScriptureDirect have been updated. According to the developer of the program,

The main new features are the ability to use the scroll wheel and to resize the window (new for Windows). The resizing function should make it easier for users to use other software next to SD or to browse other translations on the internet and compare them to the Greek/English transliteral translation that we provide.

The update can be downloaded from within the program itself (orange globe icon located on the start screen).

The electronic edition of the English Standard Version Study Bible will soon become available for a number of Bible software applications. To that effect,

Crossway has partnered with the leading digital software providers, including Accordance, Biblesoft, Laridian, Olive Tree, and WORDsearch, to make the ESV Study Bible available with all of its notes, articles, and features.

The latest major upgrade of e-Sword has been released. Version 8.0.4 includes, among other things, a localized user interface (currently available in Afrikaans, Czech, German, French, Slovak and Spanish) and support for deuterocanonical books. Go to this page in order to see the full list of changes (click on View Update Changes).

Laridian has announced the immediate availability of MyBible 5 for Palm OS. For more information on the product, click here. Note that it is now possible to syncrhonize all of your personal data with PocketBible for Windows.

When you use one or maybe two Bible programs, you get used to using a certain search syntax. With time it becomes second nature, and you end up thinking that there is no better way to run searches. In fact, you get into the habit of doing searches in one particular way, and if you ever have to change or simply try some different method, in all probability you find it odd and counterintuitive.

Now, here’s my problem. I don’t use one or two Bible software packages. I use literally dozens (though not on a daily basis). That means different interfaces, different workflows, different shortcuts and… a different search syntax! Okay, I may not be the average Tom, Dick and Harry, but this can be a bit of a problem sometimes.

Many users are mostly concerned about the contents available for this or that application, and they should be. However, one of my top priorities is the searching capability. After all, what good is it to have a zillion resources available if you can’t search them, or you need to be nothing short of a rocket scientist in order to put a search together?

The way I see it, any search engine should return exactly what I want, not what the programmer decides I want. No hidden wildcards or multiple forms, please. If I want case sensitivity, let me turn on that option. If I need to take into account punctuation or accents, let me choose to do so. If I want to find an exact phrase, don’t add or take away anything from it. Well, I think you get the idea.

I guess my ideal would be a very powerful search engine that finds, by default, what I type, and that I can tweak as I see fit. So, for instance, I will decide whether or not I want to search for “lord,” “Lord,” “Lord’s,” “LORD,” “lords,” or all of them at the same time. Similarly, let me choose the fields I want to search (if more than one is available) and, generally, anything that will affect the granularity or fineness of the search. Let me have plenty of options, but don’t constrain or extend unnecessarily my searches. I really want to be able to get what I expect without having to use some obscure workaround (if indeed that workaround exists at all!).

I’m sure you all have your ideas about how a search engine should behave, and I for one would be very interested to know about them. Leave a comment if you feel so inclined. Who knows, maybe you come up with some brilliant idea and the programmer of your favorite application ends up implementing it one of these days.