I read an interesting blog post today about the challenges Zondervan faces in moving its users from its now discontinued proprietary Bible software for Windows to other Bible software platforms. On the Mac side, Zondervan made its materials available for the leading Mac Bible program ten years ago, but the only way Windows users could access Zondervan’s materials was to use the program Zondervan had developed. Since no books from other publishers could be used with Zondervan’s software, and since none of Zondervan’s books could be used with other Windows Bible software programs, Windows users found themselves having to use two or more different programs. Now they face the cost of upgrading to a new Bible software platform in order to keep using Zondervan’s materials.

It would seem that this is yet another example where Mac users have had it better all along.

That, of course, is the Mac-biased conclusion I draw from all this. John Fidel, the author of the aforementioned blog post, makes a more general point when he writes:

1. The buyers’ lesson here is two fold: First, invest in software companies that are strong contenders in the marketplace. Technology changes quickly, and information is made available in new formats very quickly. Companies need to adapt, adopt, advance or get left behind. Second, buy your software from a software company, not a publishing company.
   

So how do you decide which software companies are “strong contenders in the marketplace”? As someone who works in the Bible software industry, I hear rumors from time to time of companies that are struggling to survive, but of course their websites and advertisements make it appear as if they are doing just fine. On the other hand, I’ve heard salesmen for other software companies say the company I work for is struggling to survive, when in fact we’ve experienced growth every year for as long as I can remember. Clearly, you can’t figure out who the strong contenders are by reading marketing blurbs or listening to industry gossip.

In Macs in the Ministry, I offer advice on “Choosing Bible Study Software” (pages 20-22) which should give you a good sense of who the “strong contenders” really are. I don’t give specific software recommendations, but I do offer tips for getting past the marketing hype so you can make an informed choice. Choosing Bible study software is a little like choosing a computer platform. The wrong choice can prove costly in the long run, so it’s important to get it right the first time. While there are no guarantees in any industry, if you follow my advice, you’ll be more likely never to regret your Bible software purchase.