FREE/BARGAIN — Christian Interest

[issybird]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Thanks.

I'm sure that if it gets too crowded in here that there will be a solution.

Now I'm the one who's confused.

I haven't a clue what you mean by "too crowded." This thread has averaged less than a post per day and it makes most sense to group all matter pertaining to reading the Bible (or other works), whether ebook, software or app, in one thread. Other topic threads in this forum are far busier and they get along. And to state the obvious, the more frequent the posts, the higher on the page the thread will appear.

You asked,

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

So, how is this different from what gets posted all of the time on MobileRead?

It isn't. Go ahead and post, discuss, etc.

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by issybird

Now I'm the one who's confused.

I haven't a clue what you mean by "too crowded." This thread has averaged less than a post per day
<snip>

You're right. I didn't realize that this thread received only about 1 post per day! I plan to make quite a few more posts on this thread, but I may be the only one. There seems to be plenty of room.

[Difflugia]

There was a while where this thread got a lot more traffic, but it's slowed down. The publishers seemed to play more with prices than they do now and the books that are on sale seem to be the old ones in rotation.

The Tecarta app has a few study Bibles on sale right now, but they're still pretty expensive ($14.99 instead of $19.99). They had good sales early on and I was able to buy a bunch with Amazon coins, but the study Bibles are now more expensive than buying regular ebooks. I did add the RSV, NRSV and most recently the new CSB, but I haven't sprung for more study Bibles.

I like the app enough, though, that I run it in an Android virtual machine on my desktop.

[GtrsRGr8]

Deleted. Accidentally posted a draft. For the correct, non-draft one, scroll down to post #426.

[DaleDe]

WordSearch Bible offers a free eBook every Friday on their blog. The program you need to view these books is free on a PC, a Mac, iOS, and Android, and/or an account on the WSB web site so there is no reason not to grab these books. (They also have a for sale more advanced version for PC and Mac) There are also more than 200 free books available for download not counting more from LifeWay that will also work. The link above is to our wiki where there is an article on WSB. Some may like other programs better but I am very happy with this one, it does what I need to do and the books are usually cheaper than other programs.

Dale

[GtrsRGr8]

I'm happy to be the first (second, if you count Diffulgia's above) to make a Bible software post, with the imprimatur of a moderator, on this thread.

WordSearchBible is a Bible software program. It doesn't have the slick interface that, for example, Logos Bible software has. While I think that I can safely say that WordSearch Bible does not have the capability, either, that Logos has, it is very powerful, IMHO. With the purchase of them by LifeWay recently, I expect to see more changes from them, faster.

The purpose of my post is to tell you how you can save lots of money with WordSearch (I didn't use "WordSearchBible" because they often don't), at least as far as the books are concerned.

First, either make a habit of checking their website https://www.wordsearchbible.com/ or get on their mailing list (the sign up place is prominent on the homepage of WordSearch). They will tell you about their current specials and, folks, most of them are super--deals that Logos can't (or won't) touch! Some examples right now: The Theological Journal Library (907 Academic Journals) $99.95 (regularly $695.95). And they do update this collection regularly (I've got to get this collection, even if it means mortgaging the house. ha). Then, there's the 61-volume Word Bible Commentary (many volumes are very highly rated at bestcommentaries.com). $399.99, or about $6.56 per volume. Check the physical or Kindle price at Amazon. And with Kindle you have practically no search, etc. benefits compared to the ones that you will have with the WordSearch version. The Kindle is basically an ebook, with search capabilities, right? There is also a sale on the IVP Dictionary set (11 volumes) for only $99.95 (again, check around at the prices elsewhere (Note: this sale ends May 15)). And the deals change on a regular basis.

I prefer Logos Bible Software, but something that people in the South often say, is true about this: "Momma didn't raise no fool." Right now, money is tight. Furthermore, I am more interested in content right now than having with all of the bells and whistles, and cutting-edge capabilities. And with this computer development--you may have heard of it--called windows, you can run both, side-by-side at the same time! And, another computer development, that you may have heard of, is extremely helpful, called cut-and-paste.

Second, contact Ryan Roberts (ryan.roberts@lifeway.com); toll-free phone number 800.825.2648, extension 7145. There are probably other guys who can do the same thing, but Ryan, at least, can almost all of the time can get you an additional 20% off, at least of the sale prices (and sometimes 30% off, but I haven't seen that very often). I don't know how he does it, why WordSearch uses people like him to lower their sale prices, or what might happen to these people with LifeWay having taken over WordSearch. And, I don't care (except for the last one). And, he's always been able to throw in an additional free ebook, many of which are great books in and of themselves, when you buy from him. I've bought a lot from WordSearch over the years, and Ryan has literally saved me several hundred dollars.

A couple of additional pieces of information about the above. One is that you can set payment plans with WordSearch, on purchases, interest-free. (I think that some version of this is available to the general public. I don't want to reveal the terms that he gives me, because it may be based upon my credit score (but it doesn't seem to be)).

Here's a second thing. First of all, WordSearch has, the last time that I checked 213 free books (there were 205--now I've got to find out which ones that I've haven't viewed ). Some of these may be of real value to you. This is the webpage to go to to find/acquire these free titles, after you have WordSearch installed.

Third, you can get another (usually a different one from one that they've offered before, sometimes there are repeats) free book from WordSearch's blog on Fridays only. Many of these books are very good. Yesterday was a very rare exception (in fact, I've never seen it happen before--I hope that they are not discontinuing it)--there was no book given away. The link to download the book is sometimes hard to find. Locate or do a search for "download" on the webpage whose URL I just gave you.

To install WordSearch, select "WordSearch 11" from the menu on the far lefthand side of WordSearch's homepage, and probably any other one of their regular (non-blog) webpages of theirs.


ADDENDUM: I just noticed that DaleDe posted about WordSearch a little while before I am now, so this is the second or third to post about Bible software.

ADDENDUM #2: On the menu that I mentioned in the last paragraph, choose "WordSearch Basic," instead of "WordSearch 11," if you want to get the free version of the software.

[Difflugia]

Understanding World Religions in 15 Minutes a Day is $0.79 at Christianbook and $0.99 everywhere else.

It's a pretty solid attempt by the author to give a brief, but accurate description of a bunch of different religions, including some that don't get a lot of press like Zoroastrianism and Jainism.

[GtrsRGr8]

I don't know how long I'll stay with this. I suppose that it mainly depends on how well received these posts are. But I want to post WordSearchBible's free book for today (Friday).

I mentioned in a recent post that WordSearch offers a free book for their software/apps on every Friday, on their blog (http://blog.wordsearchbible.com/). I mentioned that the books are of mixed quality, but several are actually very good (and relatively expensive at regular prices).

Today's (until ?) free book is Biblical Authority: The Critical Issue for the Body of Christ, by James T. Draper and Kenneth Keathley. Often the publisher of a religious book can give quick insight into how liberal or how conservative a book likely will be. This one is published by the conservative, Baptist-associated, Broadman & Holman. In fact, I have a hunch that the book approaches the subject from the standpoint of (a) current issue(s) in Baptist churches.

WordSearch's regular price for the book is $12.95. I notice that the price for the Kindle at Amazon is $9.99.

Let me save you a step or two and give you the direct URL for getting the book free. If you have not set up an account with WordSearch before, you will need to do that first, or sometime in the checkout process (duh!).

[Difflugia]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

I don't know how long I'll stay with this. I suppose that it mainly depends on how well received these posts are.

Since your earlier post, I've been playing with the WORDSearch software and I appreciate the heads-up (it's actually still free today, Saturday).

The software's much better than it was a few years ago.

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by Difflugia

Since your earlier post, I've been playing with the WORDSearch software and I appreciate the heads-up (it's actually still free today, Saturday).

The software's much better than it was a few years ago.

And thanks to you for the heads-up about the grace (no pun intended) period after Friday's blog. I was not aware of it. Primarily, I suppose, because I always access the webpage on Fridays using a browser bookmark, which I have labelled "Check These Every Friday."

Yes, WordSearch has improved, although, as far as its interface is concerned, not at the pace that I would have liked to have seen.

My focus right now is on content, and WordSearch's prices on content are usually impossible to beat. Especially when you contact Ryan Roberts directly, where you can get an additional 20% off (plus a free book, some of great quality, from a list of a dozen to a couple of dozen). (See my post #426. I admit that it is tediously long. Even my eyes were starting to glaze over when I went back and reread it, looking for errors. ha).

ADDENDUM: I don't know the reason(s), but WordSearch apparently carries very few, if any, Zondervan titles. If you want one of them, you'll probably need to look elsewhere.

[DaleDe]

If you type zondervan in the search box on the web site there are lots of titles. I use Ray Jackson. He sometimes makes up his own deals and he gives a free book as well. I am on his mailing list. 512-615-9428. I like the interface for WSB. What don't you like about it?

Dale

[Difflugia]

I've made a few more observations about WORDSearch.

First, if you link your WORDSearch account with your LifeWay account (go to "My Library List" and add your LifeWay ID), then any LifeWay books with a corresponding WORDSearch resource will be added to your WORDSearch library. For example, Lockman's La Biblia de las Americas is free at LifeWay, but $9.95 at WORDSearch. If you buy it at LifeWay, it will be added to your WORDSearch software.

Several of the Bibles are cheaper at Lifeway than at WORDSearch (the NKJV is $9.95 at WORDSearch, but only $4.99 at LifeWay.

Unfortunately, I don't know how exact the match has to be. There are two editions of the NKJV Study Bible at LifeWay, one of which is only $9.99 (the older edition is $14.99). Does either edition (or both editions) get you the $39.95 NKJV Study Bible notes from WORDSearch? Do you also get the NKJV Bible itself? The LifeWay edition includes it, but the WORDSearch one doesn't.

There are also several editions of the MacArthur Study Bible (NASB, NIV and NKJV) at LifeWay. Does buying any of those get you the MacArthur Study Notes at WORDSearch and do you get the corresponding Bible translation as well? If you don't get the Bible anyway, the NKJV one is $2 cheaper than the others.

This is important since it suddenly puts some of the resources in a price range that I would pay. LifeWay books only work in the LifeWay app, though, so if they don't end up linking to WORDSearch, they're not worth paying anything for (and I already have most of them as epubs, anyway).

My second observation is that the Android version of WORDSearch is actually nothing like the desktop version. In fact, it looks like it's only an epub reader and gives you access to any WORDSearch resources that also happen to be available at LifeWay (the HCSB is there, but not the Scofield study notes).

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

If you type zondervan in the search box on the web site there are lots of titles. I use Ray Jackson. He sometimes makes up his own deals and he gives a free book as well. I am on his mailing list. 512-615-9428. I like the interface for WSB. What don't you like about it?

Dale

Mea culpa.

I was extrapolating that from the fact that the two or three Zondervan books that I was interested in most recently were not available from there. And that I don't remember any promotions of Zondervan books on WordSearch's homepage. And they seemed readily available elsewhere. I can't remember all of the two or three, but the most recent one was the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary. I might think that that is because the set is not yet complete (I hope that I don't have to make another mea culpa!), but WSB does sell sets before they are complete (I don't advise buying them before they're complete, because you'll generally pay more per volume doing that than you would pay per volume buying the complete set). They did that with an IVP set--the IVP Dictionary of . . . series, before the set was complete very recently.

One day, I'll run across the other Zondervan books that I was looking for, and I'll let you know what they are.

Genuine thanks for the correction. I hate passing on bad information. But for me to have confirmed what I said, it would have been easy for me to have done exactly what you did--enter the term(s) in the search box!

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by Difflugia

I've made a few more observations about WORDSearch.

First, if you link your WORDSearch account with your LifeWay account (go to "My Library List" and add your LifeWay ID), then any LifeWay books with a corresponding WORDSearch resource will be added to your WORDSearch library. For example, Lockman's La Biblia de las Americas is free at LifeWay, but $9.95 at WORDSearch. If you buy it at LifeWay, it will be added to your WORDSearch software.

Several of the Bibles are cheaper at Lifeway than at WORDSearch (the NKJV is $9.95 at WORDSearch, but only $4.99 at LifeWay.

Unfortunately, I don't know how exact the match has to be. There are two editions of the NKJV Study Bible at LifeWay, one of which is only $9.99 (the older edition is $14.99). Does either edition (or both editions) get you the $39.95 NKJV Study Bible notes from WORDSearch? Do you also get the NKJV Bible itself? The LifeWay edition includes it, but the WORDSearch one doesn't.

There are also several editions of the MacArthur Study Bible (NASB, NIV and NKJV) at LifeWay. Does buying any of those get you the MacArthur Study Notes at WORDSearch and do you get the corresponding Bible translation as well? If you don't get the Bible anyway, the NKJV one is $2 cheaper than the others.

This is important since it suddenly puts some of the resources in a price range that I would pay. LifeWay books only work in the LifeWay app, though, so if they don't end up linking to WORDSearch, they're not worth paying anything for (and I already have most of them as epubs, anyway).

My second observation is that the Android version of WORDSearch is actually nothing like the desktop version. In fact, it looks like it's only an epub reader and gives you access to any WORDSearch resources that also happen to be available at LifeWay (the HCSB is there, but not the Scofield study notes).

As far as your first point is concerned, WSBs technical support can probably answer your question. If I'm in the buying process, I don't mind bugging Ryan Roberts about it, because he knows by now that I'll be buying from him. But, I wouldn't ask him, if I hadn't done any business with him before and, especially, if I didn't plan to in the future!

I've asked Ryan on one occasion, or maybe two, why WSB didn't give full bibliographic information on their books. What they give now is pretty paltry. Several times, I have had to ask him what edition the book is (in particular, is it the newest version, or an older one)? He said that he didn't know. There may more involved to doing that with books for Bible software, than there is for physical books, or even traditional ebooks.

Thanks, again, for a heads up on the so-called WSB Android app. I had toyed with getting it, but I certainly won't now. I actually have a fairly new Android phone. But I'm not interested in activating phone or even data service. I just don't like the small screen and the compromises that websites and/or the smartphone's operating system makes to get as much as possible of a webpage packed on the screen. But I may have to activate it. I had/have an old flip phone, that was/is doing everything that I really want to do on the go, but I have lost it. I may have to make a change.

[DaleDe]

There is no reason to not get the apps for Android and iOS. I use the iOS one and it is a bit better than the Android one but both will read every eBook available to the WSB web site whether from WordSearch or from LifeWay. You can have both accounts and enable both accounts. In addition there are LifeWay books not available to WordSearch on a pc or mac but they are to the apps. While the apps are more reading apps than full fledged study apps they are free and no good reason not to download them, provide feedback and get them made better. LifeWay also has their own app but they suggest using the WordSearch one. I have both. All this stuff is covered in our wiki pages, by the way, and I would be happy to generate more or you guys can also generate wiki pages.

Dale