Wednesday, May 16, 2007

The new TNIV.com is live...

The new (and much improved) TNIV.com went live today...
The new site is a great improvement over the old one. It's well designed and easy to navigate. Here are some examples of what you'll find:
  • Passage comparisons (under "About TNIV")
  • An up-to-date list of endorsements (under "Who's Reading It")
  • Product details (under, surprisingly, "Product Details")
  • An online, searchable edition of the TNIV (under "Experience It")
As with almost all new sites, there may be a few bugs still to be worked out. But on the whole, the site looks and works great. Check it out.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

What is the difference between a Study Bible and a reference bible.

I have recently been exploring my faith and have been overwhelmed by the number and types of bible. Just trying to understand the differences between study and reference.

Any other tips about what type of Bible to look for? What kind of "edition", for exapmle, Study, Reference, LIfe application, etc?

GZimmy said...

Endymion,

A reference Bible generally has cross-references and text notes in a column, usually in between two columns of text, or alongside a single column of text. Sometimes the cross references and text notes are placed at the end of verses or at the end of paragraphs.

A study Bible, on the other hand, usually has much more extensive study notes, and more often than not is arranged with the text at the top of the page, with all the study notes down under the text. Study Bibles will usually be labeled as such, like the NIV Study Bible, TNIV Study Bible, MacArthur Study Bible, etc.

In your situation I would recommend a study Bible. The MacArthur Study Bible really brought the scriptures to life for me several years ago. I think the one that may be the best right now is the new TNIV Study Bible.

A study Bible should serve you very well for a number of years. As you grow in your faith and understanding of the scriptures, you will probably find reference Bibles more valuable than now. You have to kind of grow into them.

YBIC.

Brad Boydston said...

My first impression of the new tniv.com is that it was designed by a bunch of boomer types trying to sell something to late-teen and 20-somethings. It's kind of slick and doesn't have much of an edge to it. Very corporate.

I'd like to see a blog with real people, real live comments, downloads, links to Mozilla add-ons... So much could be done by sticking the neck out just a little further.

GZimmy said...

You may be exactly right with your assessment, Brad.

Your suggestions are good, though. Perhaps as time goes on the powers that be at TNIV.com will be responsive to what you (we) have to say.

R. Mansfield said...

Actually, Brad, Relevant Media Group http://www.relevantmediagroup.com/ had a hand in creating the new website. I don't think of Relevant Media as a boomer agency--at all.

I'm 39, technically a Gen-Xer, and I felt that the new site was refreshingly less exclusively geared to that 18-34 demographic. I believe they were trying to aim slightly to a wider demographic and give less emphasis to the 18-34 stuff.

Brad Boydston said...

Rick, I'm probably mistaken. But that was my first and strongest impression of the new site.

It's definitely an improvement.

If Zondervan is actually shifting the focus to a broader audience that's an even greater improvement.