There is an old Chinese proverb which I use to remind my clients about prognostication. It goes like this: Making predictions is very difficult, especially when they are about the future.

Two years ago, when I wrote my first review for Preaching, I made a few predictions. I am happy to say that my risk-taking has been rewarded. Improvements in most of the popular Bible software programs are right in line. Two years ago I categorized the standard features of all the good programs; these included multiple translations, Boolean searches, multiple displays, printing options, etc.

I also forecasted that more and more programs would migrate to Windows operations, thereby improving the user-friendly point and click process and solving all of the word processor problems. I also said that CD-ROM drives would become the delivery channel of choice. Two years later the direction is very clear: Windows dominates and CD's are everywhere. And I'm not even Chinese!

Why are CD's the choice of the major software developers? The obvious answer is data storage. Programs like Bible Works for Windows from Hermeneutika use up to 120 megabytes of hard disk. That is costly, both in manufacture and operation. A single CD can accommodate 500 megabytes.

Hard disk storage is without question much faster -- in fact, Silver Mountain reports that assessing the Septuagint from CD-ROM on a single speed drive is virtually impossible. But most elements of the vast data storage collection for Bible study do not require the speed provided through hard disk access. And even if the access is marginally slower, the ability to off-load programs that run over 100 megabytes is a considerable advantage. Yet data storage problems are not the only reason that CD versions will proliferate. CD's remain the best way to defeat unauthorized program duplication. No ordinary PC user has the equipment to duplicate a CD. Therefore, delivering data in this manner ensures that only those who pay can play. Still another motivator is marketing -- you can see a glimpse of the future in the NavPress CD (below).

Programs which offer original language displays

There are two general classes of Bible software programs: those that provide Greek and Hebrew languages and those that do not. Programs with Greek and Hebrew are intended to reach the professional and scholarly community. But even though you will see Greek and Hebrew characters on your screen, this does not mean that the various developers take the same approach to providing the text.

The best technical comparison of the databases, sources and operations of these varied approaches can be found in an article by Tim Walker, "Original Language Bible Study Software," in Christian Computing Magazine, November 1994. It is well worth reading if you want to fully understand how the software manipulates the data that you see. Walker's article reviews Bible Windows 2.5 (Silver Mountain), Bible Works for Windows 3.0 (Hermeneutika), Bible Word Plus 3.10 in conjunction with Gramcord accordance, Online Bible 6.12, Logos Bible Study 2.0, Seedmaster for Windows and The Word Advanced Study System 3.0.