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Accordance 9 is another big step forward in Bible study software
Accordance, long regarded as the premier Bible study software for the Mac, has a new version 9 that's now available for download. At first glance, it may look at a lot like version 8, but that's because most of the changes have gone on under the hood. Don't let that fool you into thinking this isn't a big update, though, because it is, and there's more coming. Four primary new features will appeal to almost all users: "Workspace Zones" are a new way of grouping tools. Put Bibles in one zone, dictionaries in another, or put related tools for a project together so that you can access them all at once. These also seem to work better side-by-side than what I was able to do previously. Maybe there was a way before, but if so, it's much, much easier now. Learning a language is more than just translating words; you also have to understand syntax, grammar, idioms, and so forth. This won't make you a Greek or Hebrew scholar by itself, but it's a good reminder for those who have been out of seminary for a while and need a refresher, or a good aid to those just trying to learn. "Easy Install" is OakTree's way of saying "you won't have to wait around for discs to arrive in the mail anymore." Most of their resources are now available for immediate download. Good riddance to media through the mail. Keeping track of installation disks and unlock codes is a hassle that no one will miss. If you haven't already created a user account on Accordance's website, now is the time to do it. You may need to contact support to get your past order history added to your account, but once all the pieces are in place, this is going to be a huge boon for everyone involved. I've definitely saved the best for last: Search All. My biggest gripe about Accordance 8 (which was the first version that I used) was that, when I searched for something, I didn't get the feeling that I was getting results from all of the different books that are part of my Accordance library. That was one of the biggest advantages that Logos had over Accordance. Search All eliminates that. Not only that, but it's fast, and I mean really fast. It's fast enough that you'll wonder how it was that fast. OK, I'll admit that wasn't particularly eloquent, but you get the point. So, those are some of the details, but how does Accordance 9 feel? Read on.
