Menachem Mendel » Computers http://menachemmendel.net/blog Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:59:12 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Blog for Text and Tech Geeks http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2012/01/02/blog-for-text-and-tech-geeks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=blog-for-text-and-tech-geeks http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2012/01/02/blog-for-text-and-tech-geeks/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:12:26 +0000 Menachem Mendel http://menachemmendel.net/blog/?p=5152 The new blog Sacred Texts promises to offer lots of goodies for the text/tech geek crowd.

With “Sacred Techs” we wanted to bring together information focused upon using technology in the real of biblical and ancient studies. It will be periodically updated, on a monthly basis at the least, with articles and interviews on various topics around this general theme. We are very hopeful that others will be willing to contribute to the site, there are many within the world of online ancient studies who are very (and more) adept in these areas, many who are creating the very technology that we will be reviewing, citing, and discussing. This is particularly true if you use something other than Apple products and MacOS, iOS, or Android software. It is not that we are prejudiced against other platforms, but the reality is that Robert and I both tend to use those products and platforms. If you are interested in contributing please drop us a line or leave a comment!

]]> http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2012/01/02/blog-for-text-and-tech-geeks/feed/ 0 More on the Digitization of Jewish Texts http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2011/10/23/more-on-the-digitization-of-jewish-texts/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=more-on-the-digitization-of-jewish-texts http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2011/10/23/more-on-the-digitization-of-jewish-texts/#comments Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:40:02 +0000 Menachem Mendel http://menachemmendel.net/blog/?p=4819 Haaretz has a nice article about the Friedberg Geniza Project and its work on the digitization of Geniza documents. (hat tip) The article includes a lot of information about the current work being done by Prof. Yaacov Choueka, his son Roni, and other computer scientists and scholars of Rabbinic Literature. The first is how they are using face-recognition software to piece together fragments of the same document that are found in different libraries. They also hope to apply the new software to the recently digitized collection of the Dead Sea Scrolls, hoping to reconstruct scattered fragments.

The following also caught my eye:

Along with computerizing the Cairo Geniza, Choueka is now beginning to work on a project that he says is bigger, more comprehensive and more important. The project, to be called “Hakhi Garsinan” – meaning “this is how the text should be read,” the Aramaic phrase Rashi used to denote changes in versions of the Babylonian Talmud – will present every change that appears in any version of the Talmud based on all the manuscripts and printed editions in the world.

“It will be a modern website constructed in an unprecedented manner,” said Choueka. “Anyone who studies a page of Gemara – a yeshiva boy, a student at home or a university researcher – would be able to see all the versions for every line based on all the existing manuscripts.”

For about 150 years, Talmud scholars have been trying to launch a similar project. Now, thanks to Choueka’s computers and technology, he promises that this project will take off within a few years.

]]> http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2011/10/23/more-on-the-digitization-of-jewish-texts/feed/ 3 Scrivener 2.0 Now Available http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2010/11/01/scrivener-2-0-now-available/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=scrivener-2-0-now-available http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2010/11/01/scrivener-2-0-now-available/#comments Tue, 02 Nov 2010 01:00:08 +0000 Menachem Mendel http://menachemmendel.net/blog/?p=3462 scrivener.png

Literature and Latte has just released Scrivener 2.0. I am a big fan of Scrivener and think that it is one of the best writing programs for Mac around. I almost always use it for my writing, exporting a document in the final stages to Mellel for some finishing touches. If would like to know more about Scrivener, watch some of the video tutorials.

Update: See this video for a good introduction to Scrivener.

]]> http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2010/11/01/scrivener-2-0-now-available/feed/ 4 Sale: Davka Soncino Talmud for Mac and PC http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2010/04/29/sale-davka-soncino-talmud-for-mac-and-pc/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sale-davka-soncino-talmud-for-mac-and-pc http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2010/04/29/sale-davka-soncino-talmud-for-mac-and-pc/#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:40:58 +0000 Menachem Mendel http://menachemmendel.net/blog/?p=2705 Sale Continues1.jpg
Sale Continues2.jpg

Davka is continuing a sale that they have on their Soncino Talmud for Mac (here) and PC (here). I received my copy for a Mac the other day and I am very happy with it. It includes a nice interface and allows parallel scrolling between the Talmud, Rashi, Soncino, etc. I don’t know much about computer programming, but at least the Mac version seems to be based on a database, although I could be totally wrong. My only complaints are that the images of tzurat ha-daf aren’t very high quality. If you zoom in on them they get out of focus very quickly. So far that’s my only big gripe. Also, the “English Mishnah” section only includes tractates for which there is no Talmud. I know that you can find the other tractates within the Talmud itself, but that would have been a nice extra.

]]> http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2010/04/29/sale-davka-soncino-talmud-for-mac-and-pc/feed/ 0 The Babylonian Talmud Comes to Accordance http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2010/02/10/the-babylonian-talmud-come-to-accordance/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-babylonian-talmud-come-to-accordance http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2010/02/10/the-babylonian-talmud-come-to-accordance/#comments Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:13:15 +0000 Menachem Mendel http://menachemmendel.net/blog/?p=2368 The Babylonian Talmud is now available for users of Accordance software. See here for details. The text is from the editio princeps (Venice, 1520-1523). They have also reformatted Jacob Neusner et al.’s English translation to better work with the original. This is great news for this snowy day. There are still a few tractates which are in the process of being added, and if you order before they are ready you’ll receive them when they become available.

]]> http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2010/02/10/the-babylonian-talmud-come-to-accordance/feed/ 3 Otzar ha-Hochma Scandal Redux http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/12/02/otzar-ha-hochma-scandal-redux/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=otzar-ha-hochma-scandal-redux http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/12/02/otzar-ha-hochma-scandal-redux/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:44:26 +0000 Menachem Mendel http://menachemmendel.net/blog/?p=2045 It seems that Otzar ha-Hochma knows no rest. It was apparently a typo. See here for a previous round of criticism.

]]> http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/12/02/otzar-ha-hochma-scandal-redux/feed/ 2 Sifre be-Midbar added to Accordance http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/09/23/sifre-be-midbar-added-to-accordance/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sifre-be-midbar-added-to-accordance http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/09/23/sifre-be-midbar-added-to-accordance/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:41:06 +0000 Menachem Mendel http://menachemmendel.net/blog/?p=1858 The midrash Sifre be-Midbar (Sifre on Numbers) has been added to Accordance. The text is from MS Oxford Bodleian 151.

]]> http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/09/23/sifre-be-midbar-added-to-accordance/feed/ 0 A Giant Leap for Accordance and Mac Users http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/08/03/a-giant-leap-for-accordance-and-mac-users/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-giant-leap-for-accordance-and-mac-users http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/08/03/a-giant-leap-for-accordance-and-mac-users/#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:30:01 +0000 Menachem Mendel http://menachemmendel.net/blog/?p=1700 Accordance, the unbelievable Mac program for scholars of Biblical and related literature, has just announced the first taste of a Rabbinics bundle which is in the works. Now available for download and purchase are Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael, based on the Munich Codex provided by the Primary Textual Witnesses Project (PTWP) of Bar-Ilan University under the supervision of Prof. Shamma Friedman. Also available is the Tosefta from the first printed edition, Venice, 1521-22. These are the first of a larger bundle which is in preparation.

]]> http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/08/03/a-giant-leap-for-accordance-and-mac-users/feed/ 0 DEVONthink Pro Beta Reviewed http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/02/07/devonthink-pro-beta-reviewed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=devonthink-pro-beta-reviewed http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/02/07/devonthink-pro-beta-reviewed/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:03:31 +0000 Menachem Mendel http://menachemmendel.net/blog/?p=1201 The Apple Blog has reviewed the recent release of the DEVONthink Pro Beta (it looks very nice) and has also posted a comparison of it to Evernote.

]]> http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/02/07/devonthink-pro-beta-reviewed/feed/ 0 Good Introduction to DEVONthink http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/01/30/good-introduction-to-devonthink/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=good-introduction-to-devonthink http://menachemmendel.net/blog/2009/01/30/good-introduction-to-devonthink/#comments Fri, 30 Jan 2009 19:57:32 +0000 Menachem Mendel http://menachemmendel.net/blog/?p=1169 I have posted about DEVONthink before since I think that it is a great program for Mac users. Here is another nice series of posts about how to use DEVONthink and make the most of its capabilities.

1. Devonthink and Other Mac Apps for History and Humanities Research
2. Devonthink for Historical Research, part II
3. Devonthink for Historical Research, part III

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