Perhaps the first thing on many people’s minds when they see me reviewing BibleWorks 8 is “Isn’t BibleWorks a Windows program? And, aren’t you a Mac user?”  The answer to both questions is “yes.”  However, programs for running a Windows OS and Windows programs on a Mac have come a very long way with offerings like Parallels.

I am personally running Windows 7 and BibleWorks 8 using Parallels and have been quite impressed.  Using Parallels, I am able to run BibleWorks 8 as a window on my computer screen almost identical to what it would look like if I had open Logos for Mac or Accordance (see screenshot below).  As a window, BibleWorks 8 functions with the “hot corners” I have set up on my computer.  In addition, I am able to cut and paste directly from BibleWorks into other applications like Pages and Keynote.

With regard to the installation,  it went along without a hitch.  In terms of lag that one might expect running a Windows program on a Mac, I have not experienced any.  BibleWorks 8 appears to be running just like any other application that I run on my Mac.  And, that is good news for Mac users who would like to use the program.

Overall, there are a lot of matters to take into consideration when investing in a Bible software program that will aid in one’s study and analysis of the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Bible.  However, if functionality is one of the issues that would keep a Mac user from choosing BibleWorks 8, I see no reason why this should be the case.  Of course, there is some additional cost incurred by needing to purchase a program like Parallels. Also, running Windows 7 does require a good chunk of hard drive space.  Yet in the end I do not see any loss of in terms of the functioning of the program.  In fact, I feel pretty certain I would prefer running BibleWorks 8 on my Mac than on a PC.  But, that’s just me.

Much more to come as I take a look at some of the specific features of the program.