Hackeysack & eSword 7-8x

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Hackysack & eSword 7-8x

It’s Time To Upgrade!

I bought my first computer in 1989. It was an 8088 (older than even a x286 machine.). 640k memory; 20 megabytes of storage; the processor speed was 8 megahertz - I could engage a turbo button to increase that to 10 megahertz. Think through that: current machines are 1,000+ times faster. My PDA has more power than my first computer! I paid $1,400 for that thing - it makes me sick to think of how much money I spent! I didn't use Windows; I used MS-DOS. My first version of WordPerfect was 5.1 for DOS. I still remember the black pica text up against the bright blue background. I loved WordPerfect 5.1.

My second computer was a gift from my spiritual mentor. He installed Windows 3.1, and upgraded my WordPerfect to 6.0 for Windows. The screen was called "WYSIWYG" (pronounced "wiz-ee-wig"). That means "what you see is what you get." I looked at that beautiful, scalable font on that white page... and I missed WP5.1!! I'm not kidding! It didn’t take me long, however, to realize how much better WP6 for Windows was over WP5.1 for DOS. Like nearly all of the people in all of the places of the world, I didn't like change. But once I changed, not only did I get used to it, eventually I recognized the benefits of an upgrade.

How about albums - 78, 45, and 33 1/3!?! Or 8-track tapes (why does an 8-track tape have 4 channels? I remember listening to the Cathedral Quartet as the song would fade out of channel 2 and fade back in on channel 3....). Or cassettes? Or Betamax? Do you get my point?

If you haven't yet upgraded from eS7-8x, why not? You don't still use Windows 3.1, do you? Eventually, you know nearly everyone is going to upgrade; those left with e-S7.9.8 or e-S8.0.6 will be the same people listening to 8-tracks "because they sound better." Right.

By the way, if you haven't seen the newest iteration of eSword, you've got to take a look at it. "Dockable" windows! All of the .topx modules are searchable at once. That all by itself is the single best upgrade of the last 5 years. And the newest version of eSword does way more than that!

If you're not yet convinced about the need for upgrading, consider these problems with e-S7-8x:

Rick Meyers no longer supports version 7-8x. Like a 1977 Datsun B210, "parts" may at some point become scarce.
Right now, e-S7-8x "official" resources can be found; but since it breaks the EULA to host them on the internet, the only way to legally share them is through email (have YOU tried emailing a 30Mb file to someone??!!) or snailmail. Eventually, these resources will dry up.
While BeST easily converts commentaries, dictionaries and bibles from 7-8x to 9+x and vice versa, BeST does not handle topic modules. There are converters that handle conversion of .top from e-S7-8x to the .topx of e-S9+x, but as of now, there are no converters to convert from 9+x to 7-8x. And many module builders are only building topic modules in version 9+x. That means many new resources are not available for old e-Sword versions. If you don't upgrade, you'll be losing out on many helpful study helps.
Here's a kicker - if you've been holding off of upgrading because of the "time/hassle" factor, consider this: the longer you wait to upgrade, the bigger the hassle will become!
Here's another kicker: you know you'll eventually have to upgrade; and the longer the dedicated user stays with e-S7-8x, the harder conversion becomes. Ugh.

Since there is no known converter to go backward from v9 to v7-8 for newly created .topx modules, you're missing lots of new modules!! With version 10x, you won't miss any new modules! Consider these that you're already missing:

The Potter and The Shepherd by J.C. Brumfield. Absolutely delightful exposition of Jer 18:1-6 and Psalm 23.
A Collection of Sweet Assuring Promises of Scripture by Samuel Clarke. This is a list of categorized Bible promises that have been skillfully built using the Scripture ToolTip Tool. You will find yourself turning to this again and again and again and....
The Seven Laws of Teaching by John Milton Gregory. This classic book should be read and studied by every person involved with teaching - at every age, and at every level.
Things I Have Learned by Evangelist Bob Jones. Twenty "chapel talks" (most of us would call these "sermons"....) Most folks will enjoy these warm, devotional, folksy messages.
Exposition of Genesis in two volumes by H.C. Leupold. The single best commentary available on Genesis anywhere - and available FREE for e-Sword - but only in version 9+x.
Acts of The Apostles by G. Campbell Morgan. Perhaps the best pastoral commentary available anywhere on Acts - and available FREE for e-Sword! - but only in version 9+x.

And that's not all of them by far. And more are being produced every week. Only in version 9x. (Have YOU upgraded yet?)

If you're STILL not convinced, consider these benefits of biting the bullet and upgrading now:

Rick's official "hotline" will only handle 9+x questions. You'll want his technical support, that's for sure.
With the new SQLite database, Rick is going to be able to produce cooler and cooler e-Sword tools. (Did I mention "dockability of windows" yet?)
e-S9+x has improved search features over v7-8x.
Have you actually seen the new "dockable" windows! Drool! (Have I mentioned that yet?)
Topic Modules that are globally searchable. Yeehaw!

"Members Only" jackets are no longer cool (I never was a "member"); paisley print silk ties are out (should they ever have been in? Boy! Did I have some lulus!!); parachute pants are gone (thank heavens! Those things were ugly even when they "in" and I never wore them); and it's time to set aside version 7-8x and upgrade to eSword’s newest version.

Now, where is my hackysack...?

Dave