7.0059 CARF: Bible Program Review; Update (2/343)
Elaine Brennan (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Wed, 16 Jun 1993 15:47:57 EST
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 7, No. 0059. Wednesday, 16 Jun 1993.
(1) Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1993 22:58:27 -0400 (26 lines)
From: hahne@epas.utoronto.ca (Harry Hahne)
Subject: Bible Program Review
(2) Date: Tue, 15 Jun 93 20:01:04 EDT (317 lines)
From: "Todd J. B. Blayone" <CXFW@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA>
Subject: CARF UPDATE
(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1993 22:58:27 -0400
From: hahne@epas.utoronto.ca (Harry Hahne)
Subject: Bible Program Review
I have written an article on Bible-search programs, which will be
interest to many on this list. It is an in-depth comparison of 4 IBM PC
programs that use a Graphic User Interface (GUI): Bible Windows, Bible Works,
The Word and Logos Advanced Study System.
All of these programs allow complex searches in the Greek and Hebrew
bible texts, as well as numerous English versions. All but one allow
grammatical searches of considerable complexity. They are quite easy
to use due to the Graphic User Interface. Most use Microsoft Windows, but
The Word uses a proprietary GUI (a Windows version is coming soon).
This article was published in the Computer Assisted Research Forum
(CARF), Spring 1993. If your library does not subscribe to this
journal, contact the editor, Todd Blayone, for subscription
information. He can be reached at cxfw@musica.mcgill.ca. This is a
great journal for anyone interested in computer assisted humanities
research. Recent issues reviewed Macintosh Bible-search programs and
multilingual word processors with Greek and Hebrew capabilities.
Harry Hahne
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------328---
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 93 20:01:04 EDT
From: "Todd J. B. Blayone" <CXFW@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA>
Subject: CARF UPDATE
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Computer-Assisted Research Forum UPDATE
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"[The] Computer-Assisted Research Forum . . . made interesting and
informative reading."
Donald MacRae, Germanic & Slavic Studies, Brock University
"CARF ... is nothing short of excellent. Exactly the sort of
publication that I think we humanities types need."
George Nahrebecky, Modern Languages & Classics, St. Mary's
University
"It [the Computer Assisted-Research Forum] came across my desk
yesterday, and immediately struck me as a 'must have.' It looks
promising and valuable..."
T. R. Hobbs, McMaster Divinity College
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The Spring/Summer 1993 (Volume 1, No. 3) edition of the Computer-
Assisted Research Forum (CARF) has rolled off the press and will
reach subscribers shortly.
Postings with the subject heading "CARF UPDATE" will serve
as electronic companions to the print-based publication. This
includes:
1. A New Introduction to CARF
2. CARF, Spring/Summer 1993 Highlights
3. Subscription Information
CARF is currently published three times during the year in Fall,
Winter and Spring/Summer editions. CARF UPDATE will appear
periodically on a number of humanities-related lists.
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1. AN INTRODUCTION TO CARF
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1.1 What the Computer-Assisted Research Forum IS NOT
CARF is not one of those computer publications that simply
applauds the latest developments in the world of computer hardware
and software.
CARF is not a technical humanities-computing journal. It was not
designed for the presentation of intricate, case-specific
quantitative literary and linguistic data.
CARF is not the product of a particular university computer centre
addressing issues of concern to local users only.
1.2 What the Computer-Assisted Research Forum IS
The Computer-Assisted Research Forum (CARF) is a unique publication
that fills a significant information void.
1.3 Intended Reader
The humanities scholar-teacher and the student (from first year
university/college to the doctoral level) are the focus of
attention. Support staff will benefit from listening in.
1.4 Disciplinary Focus
CARF spreads its web across all areas of the humanities. Suggestions
for articles and reviews, which can be sent by FAX or e-mail, are
warmly received. (CARF extends an invitation to the experienced
user, and scholar with special computer-related interests, to join
with the editorial team as a reviewer or advisor.)
1.5 General Purposes
CARF seeks to meet the essential, "real-world," computer-information
needs of the intended reader. For the beginner, CARF presents
"how-to" articles introducing technologies and resources relevant to
humanities research. For the intermediate reader, more sophisticated
articles dealing with a variety of important and stimulating issues
are presented. All readers will benefit from our lengthy software
and literature review sections.
Our fundamental assumption is that the productivity, and computer
literacy of the "average" humanities student and scholar is
contingent upon the availability of relevant, non-technical
information. "Main-stream" computer publications cater, almost
exclusively, to a business audience. By contrast, the Computer-
Assisted Research Forum adopts a decidedly humanistic perspective.
1.6 Platforms Supported
Both PC (i.e., IBM and compatible) and Macintosh platforms are
supported. Most humanities scholars utilize one of these two types
of systems.
1.7 Writer Queries
CARF accepts feature articles from qualified writers on a regular
basis. Contributors are asked to keep CARF's general orientation in
mind (see above). The citation style adopted is the author-date
style of Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers, 5th ed., (Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 1982). We also accept software-review
queries. The ideal query highlights one's qualifications and the
scope of the proposed review. It also provides information that will
assist us in tracking down the publisher(s) of the software
package(s) to be included. Contributions and queries may be
submitted electronically to cxfw@musica.mcgill.ca.
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2. SPRING/SUMMER 1993 HIGHLIGHTS
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2.1 Table of Contents/List of Contributors
Electronic Shakespeare: Making Texts Compute...........1
Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson is Professor of English and Dean of the College of
Liberal Arts at Dakota State University. He is the Editor of TEXT
Technology, and he has published more than fifty articles and
reviews about computers, writing, and literary study.
(johnsone@columbia.dsu.edu)
FrameMaker: Desktop Publishing Power for the Humanist...5
Karla Saari Kitalong
Karla Saari Kitalong is Academic Computing Specialist in the
Department of Humanities, Michigan Technological University,
Houghton, Michigan, where she is also a Ph.D. candidate in
Rhetoric and Technical Communication. (kitalong@mtu.edu)
High-Tech Bible Study: PC Bible Programs with a
Graphical User Interface................................7
Harry Hahne
Harry Hahne is Lecturer in New Testament at Ontario Theological
Seminary and a Doctoral candidate at the University of Toronto.
He is the author of several published computer programs,
including the Library Master bibliographic database manager.
(hahne@epas.utoronto.ca)
In Brief. News, Short Reviews and Annotations...........17
2.2 From the Editor
In this issue Eric Johnson provides readers with a glimpse into the
world of electronic text. The conversion of vast amounts of our
literary heritage into machine-readable form has precipitated, at
least in some quarters, the merging of technology and literary
criticism. Adherents argue that electronic text not only facilitates
more efficient mays of locating and manipulating data, but that it
offers "new modes of access into the structure, development and
meaning of a work" (Neuman 1991, 369). Johnson provides examples of
research that point in this direction. Of course, many insist that
computers "cannot help us to answer the questions that really count"
(Burrows 1992, 167).
Karla Saari Kitalong's review of FrameMaker, a desktop publishing
package especially well-suited to the processing of scholarly
documents, is timely. The affordability of desktop publishing
technology, and the growing demand (from publishers) for
camera-ready copy is forcing scholars to redefine their "trade."
Without doubt, one will still frequently encounter the "remark that
writers should not concern themselves with desktop publishing but
ought to leave those activities to the printer. Academics and other
writers, we are told, do not design well; and even if they did, the
argument continues, such activities are a waste of time. Such advice
which has recently become an injunction should make us ask why.
After all, when told that one should not avail oneself of some
aspect or form of empowerment, particularly as a writer, one should
ask why. What if someone told us: Here is a pencil. Although it has
a rubber apparatus at the opposite end from that which you write,
you should not use it. Real writers don t use it (George Landow
1992, 49)?"
Bible-search packages are reaching new levels of sophistication and
user-friendliness. Given the fact that the Bible represents a
relatively small corpus (readily available in electronic, text-only
and grammatically-tagged forms), and that the (American) market for
high-tech bible-study tools seems to be growing, it should come as
no surprise that we struggled to limit our coverage to four, new,
graphically-oriented packages for the PC. Harry Hahne's critical,
in-depth review is an accomplishment that will be tremendously
appreciated by anyone with an interest in literary analysis of the
relevant ancient texts. Of course, humanists with no special
interest in the Bible may wish to note how the various programs
have implemented a set of text-analysis tools in a graphics
environment.
Finally, this issue introduces In Brief, a section presenting short
reviews, software announcements and upgrade notes.
I am encouraged by the response CARF continues to elicit from
students, scholars, teachers and support-staff all over the world.
As we continue to expand our base of individual and institutional
subscribers I invite input and queries from parties wishing to
contribute to this publishing venture.
_______________
Burrows, J. F. 1992. "Computers and the Study of Literature." In
Computers and Written Texts, ed. Christopher S. Butler, 167-
204. Cambridge: Blackwell.
Landow, George P. 1992. Hypertext: The Convergence of Contemporary
Critical Theory and Technology. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins
University Press.
Neuman, Michael. 1991. "The Very Pulse of the Machine: Three Trends
Toward Improvement in Electronic Versions of Humanites Texts."
Computers and the Humanities 25: 363-375.
2.3 Advertising Highlights
Advertisment 1: Full Page (4)
"Create Perfect Bibliographies the Easy Way"
Library Master 2.0 -- Special Offer!
Contact: Balboa Software, Canada. (416) 730-8980
Advertisement 2: Full Page (8)
"Introducing the New Version 2.0 BibleWorks for Windows:
The fastest and most productive Windows research software"
Contact: Hermeneutica, USA. (206) 824-WORD
Advertisement 3: Two Full Pages (12-13)
"Bible Windows 2.1, TLG Workplace 2.0, PHI Workplace 2.3:
Unique Display. Unique Searches. With Simplicity."
Contact: Silver Mountain Software, USA. (214) 293-2920
Advertisement 4: Quarter Page (19)
"Personal Bibliographic Databases... These cost more (...)
This does more: PAPYRUS (Version 7)."
Contact: Research Software Design, USA. (503) 796-1368
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3. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
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3.1 Subscription Rates
Individuals: $10.00Cdn - $ 8.50US
Institutions: $15.00Cdn - $12.75US
Outside Canada and USA add: $ 7.00Cdn - $ 6.00US
These special rates are valid until August 1, 1993.
Subscriptions consist of three issues, beginning with
the most recent issue (unless otherwise specified). Send
cheque (payable to "CARF" in Canadian or US funds) or
purchase order to:
Computer-Assisted Research Forum
c/o Todd Blayone
Birks Building, McGill University
3520 University Street
Montreal, PQ
H3A 2A7 - Canada
Please inquire about back issues and single-issue rates.
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The Editorial Team
Todd J. B. Blayone, Editor
McGill University
cxfw@musica.mcgill.ca
Bruce Guenther, Associate Editor
McGill University
czbg@musicb.mcgill.ca
William Dubie, Editorial Advisor
Digital Equipment Corp
dubie@tnpubs.enet.dec.com
Harry Hahne, Editorial Advisor
Ontario Theological Seminary
hahne@epas.utoronto.ca
Richard P. Hayes, Editorial Advisor
McGill University
cxev@musica.mcgill.ca
David J. Reimer, Editorial Advisor
Wilfred Laurier University
dreimer4@mach1.wlu.ca
Stephen B. Scharper, Editorial Advisor
McGill University
cy77@musica.mcgill.ca