# Electronic vs bound material



## tgoerz (Jul 22, 2009)

Being an old school kind of guy, I'm a bit intimidated by all the electronic doodads and software bundles out there, not to mention the costs. I do see the value in such things, I'm sure Bibleworks, Logos, etc, are all wonderful things, but they are pricey, not just for the initial software, but for the "add-ons" as well. "Kindle"?, oh my.

I'm a bibliophile, pure and simple. I need something in my hands to read, mark up, make notes, etc. I interact with everything I read. It's a part of my learning process.

When I want to reread something, I just pick up the book and read, instead of trying to find it on-line or on my computer. Not to mention, I can stuff items in a pack and go, without lugging a laptop.

I find it difficult to read stuff on-line and/or off a computer screen. Doing research on-line is no problem, but when I find what I want, I'm not always able to print it out and that's irritating to me. 

I feel akin to the little old man cruising in the left lane of a 5 lane expressway. But hey, thats my comfort level.

In short, let me ask a few questions. 

First, is the electronic versions of material more cost-effective than printed material? Can you give some examples of saving serious money by going electronic? For instance, take the NIC, you can buy it new for approx $1200, Logos has it sale-priced for $1700, unless you get it "pre-pub" for $1000. But what if you miss the pre-pub?

Second, do you find it's more efficient to use on-line/computer based tools than having books open on the desk? Is your study qualitatively better?

Third, where do you see this electronic trend going....is it a situation where old school folks such as I better get on board or get left behind? What should a person in seminary/graduate school/ministry have at a minimum, in your estimation?

Thanks.


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## Sven (Jul 22, 2009)

I won't comment on the first two questions, but on the third one, I say get left behind. Sure, maybe the electronic versions are cost effective, but nothing beats a library of nicely bound books. Cost is always going to be an issue, but you're just going to have to prioritize. Books first, then food and clothes. Okay, maybe not. But Books should be a priority in a seminary student's budget.


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## Curt (Jul 22, 2009)

It's a matter of personal preference. Don't feel pushed along by the electronic trends. OTOH, don't eschew those resources based upon tradition or stubbornness. Perhaps a good mix between the two is good. The fact is that one doesn't need to own every resource he consults now and then.

Enjoy the search to find the balance!


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## gkterry (Jul 22, 2009)

Tim:

This is an issue I have struggled with myself. I was firmly in the electronic camp at one time but that has now been altered due to the continual need to replace electronic materials. I basically have lost many hundreds of dollars of resources because they were purchased electronically. I would say that price per unit _initially_ is likely cheaper electronically. But there are mitigating factors involved:

1) the permanence of electronic materials is significantly less - repurchase will be required. How many electronic texts do you have that are 40, 50 years old? Resource companies go out of business, change their format, hardware upgrades or changes are all contributors to the more temporal status of electronic materials. 

2) you tend to more readily accumulate resources that are not used 

3) lack of portability - you have to rely on an electronic device, electricity, etc.

4) lack of transferability - you can't lend it to someone as easily - restrictive licensing!!!

5) the difficulty of long term reading electronic texts

Recently, I have tended to do both, but items of first importance are purchased in print format. Supplementary or secondary materials in electronic format - but do so as cost effective as possible. I have found using print resources is no barrier to my study. In fact, I tend to more fully chase something through when using print resources instead of relying on a quick search. Build your print library first backed by a good Bible software program with basic resources(for Macs use Accordance).

There are several resources on which one should rely for building a library:

1) recommendations from the PB 

2) there are 3 books on which I rely a lot:

New Testament Commentary Survey by D. A. Carson
Old Testament Commentary Survey by Tremper Longman III
Commentary & Reference Survey by John Glynn​They are available for purchase here.

Hope this is helpful.


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## ewenlin (Jul 22, 2009)

tgoerz said:


> In short, let me ask a few questions.
> 
> First, is the electronic versions of material more cost-effective than printed material? Can you give some examples of saving serious money by going electronic? For instance, take the NIC, you can buy it new for approx $1200, Logos has it sale-priced for $1700, unless you get it "pre-pub" for $1000. But what if you miss the pre-pub? That is a lot of money...
> 
> ...



.


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## Whitefield (Jul 22, 2009)

For me it isn't an either/or situation. I inhabit both the book-world and the electronic-world. I enjoy the speed and searchability of the electronic-world and the tangible of the book-world. I am comfortable in both. I enjoy having a book open on my desk and the lid of the laptop up. I think in the future, the pastor/teacher/scholar will need to be comfortable in both worlds. Right now, I am reading your words on my computer screen, and yet next to the computer I have both Turretin's volume 2 and a Latin dictionary laying open.

When I left seminary I worried about leaving behind the library, but now I have in electronic form most of what I worried about not having. Daily I add to my hard-drives "old" books which I could never store on my shelves, nor move from one place to another. It is easier to move and to search the 38 volumes of the Ante and Post Nicene Fathers when they reside on one CD-ROM, than when they reside in 38 books, each weighing a few pounds.


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## Joseph Scibbe (Jul 22, 2009)

There are upsides to both as well as downsides to them as well. I love my logos software for the fact that is far more convenient than trying to carry an ESV, NASB, Greek and Hebrew texts, and all the multiple commentaries and other resources that I use. On the other hand bound books are great to have, easier to lend out, and can have notes taken directly with the text. It really come down to a matter of preference.


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## tgoerz (Jul 22, 2009)

Great thoughts, all.

To try and find the balance, I do have one e-software program installed and am learning my way around the software. It does take quite a bit of time to know it well.

I still have not found about half the works I downloaded for it. Yikes!


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