I am one of the beta testers. I thought that it would be fun to have a thread to talk about the beta test process, what we like, what changes and new features we are suggesting, and to be available to answer questions that non-beta users and potential users might have about our experience using Mantis Bible.

Prior to getting an iPhone, I used a Bible program on a Pocket PC. I thought that it was great to have the Word of God in such a portable form with study resources, but it was still too big and inconvenient to have it with me all the time. I tried a lot of other iPhone Bible software before discovering that Mantis Bible software is the best. I even purchased another program at a relatively substantial price. Mantis has to have the fastest, most user responsive development of any Bible software.

I am having a great time participating in the beta program. It is a lot of fun putting each beta version through its paces, giving feedback and frequently seeing the bugs you find and the suggested improvements incorporated into a new beta. Some days 2 or 3 betas are released in the same day. I think the developers must work around the clock. What is really cool about the software is that it makes studying the Word of God fun. It is so easy to dig deeper that I end up spending more time studying than I did before. 

Mantis integrates study resources so effectively that you can't help but check the Strong's definition, see where the word occurs in other verses with the same usage, check a dictionary entry that is integrated inline with the verse, pop up the Analyze Verse function to read a commentary, or see what a dictionary (one that isn't keyed to Strong's numbers) has to say about a word. I have been reading Skip Moen's Today's Word Devotional and find myself doing my own study on the verse that he focuses his devotional on.

This is a top notch BIBLE STUDY TOOL - emphasis intentionally on Bible Study tool. It is hard to appreciate how well this program is designed without purchasing a couple of the study resources.

I can't wait to test the note taking function that should allow taking notes that are not tied to a verse. I also think that the Zodhiates Compete Word Study is going to be an exceptionally valuable study tool.

The Mantis guys are really busy and I was wondering if anyone could guide me thru getting the Beta software loaded on my Vista OS?

I tried to go step by step for the XP instructions and can't get the two files at the start of the process to copy over to Applications in iTunes.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and God Bless You,

Robert

Robert,

I also had problems with Windows Vista, but was able to figure it out. I would be glad to help you. I could send you e-mail instructions when I get home from work this evening.

Ned

Ned,

That would be great!!!! I really would appreciate it. My addy is x_ray4uk@bellsouth.net

Thanks again and God Bless You,

Rober

I was told on the 4.0 release thread that they were having problems with the web site allowing new Beta testers. Do you know has this been resolved? If so i wouold like to be part of the testing team. Could you send me info on it?

New Beta Update - while we wait "patiently :)" for Apple to approve the 4.0 release, the Mantis developers have not slowed down the development. A new beta was released in the wee hours of the morning implementing a global notes function and enhancements related to the search function. I gave some feedback on the global notes function around lunchtime today and they had a new beta during the afternoon!

I don't know about everyone else, but I think that the global notes function rounds out an outstanding study tool. I can't believe that we have such a comprehensiveness Bible Study tool that we can have on our person all the time.

I'm sure Mantis will continue to surprise us with new functionality and study resources.

Ned

I just started using the Complete Word Study with Beta version 4.1.0. What an increbibly powerful study tool. And as usual, Mantis has done an outstanding job of implementing CWS. As you should expect by now, all the CWS study materials are integrated in line with the Bible text. This is a must have study tool for serious Bible study! 

Thought I'd chime in here...

There's a new Beta due out later today (or maybe tomorrow) and I've slipped a new feature in it, called the "Jump Menu".

Say you're in a commentary and you see a scripture reference.  You tap it to preview it.  Now you want to use that reference for your lesson, so you want to add it to the current bookmark folder.  I do this a lot, and here's what I have to do (bear with me, it's ugly!)

Click on the >>NASS link to jump to that verse in scripture, tap the verse number, then choose "Create Bookmark".  Not too bad.  But how do I get back to my commentary?  Go to history, switch back to the commentary verse, then find my place in the commentary.  It's not that streamlined.

Enter the "Jump Menu".  Now, clicking on the >>NASS link brings up a menu for the selected (preview) verse and allows you to:

Bookmark that Verse (without losing your place in the current commentary)
Analzye that Verse (open it up in the Analyze Verse screen)
Jump to that Verse (the current behavior)
Cancel

That should streamline the "verse collecting" process.