"...AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH........"
A Review of Compton's Interactive Bible (New International Version)
by Rich Cunningham
The most popular book in the world, is without question, the Holy Bible. It has more printed copies than any other publication, been translated into more languages, and is one of the unquestioned symbols of Christianity. It is very easy to read, but at the same time can be one of the most confusing books to understand. I remember my grandmother giving my a copy of the New Testament when I was very young. It was a cherished gift, but I had a devil of a time understanding the translation she gave me. It just isn't right giving a six-year-old the King James Version. It may just as well have been Shakespeare.
If one goes to a bookstore today and looks in the Bible section, it is discovered there are many different translations of this book. There are the King James version, the Revised Standard version, the New Revised Standard version, the New International version, the list goes on. (One of my favorite translations is the Cotton Patch Epistles, but that is another story). A person may ask, if the Bible is the word of God, why is it presented so many styles and versions. The answer is both simple and complicated. The simple one, to me, is that as language changes over the years, words can change their meanings and intents. A word used 500 years ago would not mean the same today as it did then. A more complicated reason would be the discovery and translation of ancient documents that were unknown at the time a previous versions were prepared. An example would be the Dead Sea Scrolls. These documents have aided in greater understanding of ancient languages and civilizations. Could you imagine the impact these documents would have had on the scholars who wrote the King James version?
The program we are looking at today extends the way a Bible is used. The translation used is the New International version, which was published in the 1970's. I purchased my copy in 1980. The name of this program is Compton's Interactive Bible (New International Version), and is a complementary companion to their Interactive Bible (King James Version). It is a high tech, multimedia approach to exploring the word of God. In addition to the printed version that is here, there is audio, video, maps, animations, and sounds. If it's multimedia, it's in there. It also has much more than the printed word as well. Everything you could ever want or need in a Bible is at your fingertips.
After installing the program (which was a flawless operation in my case), the first screen to appear is the tableau screen, which features the four main components that the user has access to. These four areas are: the Path Bar, which runs vertical alongside the screen, the Find Viewer, the Media Viewer, and the Text Viewer. These features interact with each other in a special way. For example if you want to read about the birth of Jesus, you can click to the text from the New Testament by using the Find Viewer, display it on the Text Viewer, and have it displayed while watching the Media Viewer display a video presentation on the birth. It is also possible to use any of these features in a Full Screen mode, in case the desktop is a little too cluttered for you.
The Path Bar is there to help find the information you need. Each button represents a path into the knowledge base in the program. You can use the Concordance to search for names, places and important words. The Atlas is there to help put geographical locations in perspective, and to understand the physical relationship of Biblical locations. There are sections that allow you to create your own presentation using data gathered from the program, such as audio, video and text. Then add your own narration, and, "PRESTO", instant sermon on Sunday morning.
One feature that I find becoming more common with reference programs is the ability to use online resources to supplement and update the programs that are in use. This program uses America Online as it's main entrance to the Compton's NewMedia Forum. But it is not limited to AOL, and simple instructions are included to help set up your current online service to gain access. Once there, you can access Compton's Living Encyclopedia, and the Religion and Beliefs Club. It is then possible to gain access to NIV daily verses, bulletin boards/newsgroups, and other religious websites.
The documentation that is included with the program is excellent. It gives a brief overview of the program, which will be sufficient for most users. There is a more in-depth explanation for first time users, or those that want to explore some of the more advanced functions. The installation was flawless and the program ran without a glitch, bug or GPF.
If you are looking for a computerized Bible program, this would be an excellent choice. If you already have one, and are looking for another, this would be an excellent choice. Either way, this program is very strong in its message, and it's use. Now if we could just wire all the pews with color LCD displays........
MultiMedia Cafe Scorecard
| Product: | Compton's Interactive Bible (New International Version) |
| Company: | Compton's NewMedia Inc. |
| Cost: | $50.00 |
System Requirements:
486DX2-66, 8 MB RAM (16 MB recommended),
70k minimum hard drive space,
Double Speed CD-ROM Drive, Windows 95 or Windows 3.1/DOS 5.0,
Sound card, SVGA graphics (640x480x256 colors).
This Reviewer Used:
Pentium 166 MMX, 64 MB RAM, Matrox Millenium w/4 MB WRAM,
Soundblaster 64AWE, Panasonic SQ-TC510N CD ROM, Windows 95.
Breakdown:
Entertainment Value 3.5
Educational Value 5
Concept 4.5
Depth 4
Interface 4.5
Overall Score:
Copyright © 1997 InfoMedia, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.