Synchronization & Cloud

[Enoch]

I don't understand what your new synchronization feature will do.  And can you share with us what the purpose of an Accordance Cloud is?

[Kristin]

Hi @Enoch,

I don't really have the need for either feature, but I can provide my two cents in case it helps.

1. The purpose of syncing is for people who use Accordance on two devices to be able to sync the devices without being dependent on Dropbox.

2. The purpose of the cloud is to be able to view your Accordance resources on the web as opposed to your computer program. The main advantage I see for this would be that it would allow people on Chromebooks to access Accordance, and I think it would also help the Linux crowd. I am kind of unsure if the cloud version is supposed to be the complete program, or be the program with limited features.

3. I frankly think it will be awhile, potentially a few years, before either of these features actually become available and usable for people who bought v.14.

I hope this helps some,
Kristin

 

[Lorinda H. M. Hoover]

To expand a bit on Kristin's response, since I'm one of those folks who needs/wants syncing:

 

The current Dropbox syncing is supposed to allow one to sync the following types of files/things between multiple computers and/or mobile devices:

• user notes
• user files
• highlights files
• bookmarks
• stacks
• papers
• places
• current session

(note that not all of the above are available on mobile devices)

 

Unfortunately, Dropbox syncing does not always work the way it is supposed to.  It works fine (or at least o.k.) between my Mac and my iPad, but 2 years ago when I moved to a new parish and wanted to sync these things to the Windows computer in my office, trying to do so kept deleting my user notes and user tools.  I had to give up on that.  Which means that I can't do a lot of what I do with Accordance on the windows machine in my office, only on my MacBook, because I make extensive use of User Tools for sermon prep and study.  

 

And, every time Dropbox changes something about how it works, Accordance has to adjust how their syncing works.  

 

According to this post, the new in-house syncing will also sync library organization, which I am very excited about.

 

In terms of Accordance in the cloud, the official announcements I remember seeing implied (or maybe clearly stated) that it would not have all the features of computer-based Accordance.  I'm hopeful that it might have some features that the iPad version does not, so that I'm out and about with wifi and my iPad but not my laptop I could do more with Accordance, but that's my hope, not a promise/statement from Accordance. 

 

[Dr. Nathan Parker]

Thanks everyone for chiming in.

 

Accordance Syncing will replace Dropbox syncing with our own custom-built solution. We'll have full control over it (no more third party dependence), so there'll be increased reliability and new features added to syncing we didn't have with Dropbox (like the library organization Silas mentioned).

 

Accordance Cloud will be a way to access your Accordance modules in a web browser. It will not have 100% feature-pairity with our desktop version out of the gate, but it will be a useful way for users not on macOS or Windows, or on machines that it is difficult to install software (we have some customers who want to access Accordance on a public library computer, etc), to access their Accordance libraries.

 

I will make one comment that Kristin's estimates on our release for both aren't accurate, but with better news. As we've seen with Silas' latest announcement, we're getting closer to getting syncing completed, and we're also making progress on Cloud.

[Enoch]

Is this cloud going to be like Biblia.com by your the Logos competition?

[Dr. Nathan Parker]

Our web app will be a way you can access your Accordance library in a web browser, and our goal is to add additional features of Accordance to it so you can do more of your Bible study in a web browser for those who need to.

 

I wouldn't know of a direct comparison between other web-based Bible apps until we release it, and you can see for yourself how it compares.