The Noet version is a disappointment, albeit better than nothing.But look a little closer and it becomes clear that this is the 15th edition, the one that was published in 1989. Britannica's power and distinction is largely derived from the Macropedia material. Clearly, this version is NOT equivalent or a replacement for a recent print copy or the on-line version from the publisher. Simply import the material that one needs. However, at the current price, I would suggest a much less expensive subscription directly from Britannica.

At my initial pre-pub sale price of $100, it is worth having due to the Logos links. For example, the entry for Jesus Christ is much shorter than in my set, missing entire sections, including the detailed outline and all of the extensive bibliographic and source references. The remaining selected portions from the Macropedia (Knowledge in Depth) have been edited, some severely. It appears the large majority of articles are taken (almost verbatim) from the Micropedia (Ready Reference) summary section of the encyclopedia. I own the 15th edition and yearbooks, and the Noet version is a far cry from the complete set. Given the initial mistake, and an entire year, I did not expect primarily the summary half of the encyclopedia. I assumed incorrectly that the articles selected would be in depth/intact. I decided to wait, realizing that based upon the number of projected articles, it was going to be an abridged version.

Faithlife had to step up and either refund or offer this current replacement 'Britannica' version at no additional charge when it was completed. I ordered Britannica Noet on the original pre-pub over a year ago, and experienced the disastrous initial release when it was discovered that it was Comptons Encyclopedia, not Britannica. After nearly 20 years as a Logos/Faithlife customer, I've found them to be an honorable, no-hassle company at every turn. If a reader is on the fence about this resource, I'd recommend talking to a Logos/Noet sales representative and trying it on a 30-day money-back guarantee. While I'd certainly be interested in any future updates that more closely approach the comprehensiveness of the hardcopy edition, I'm not disappointed with this product. When I originally ordered this resource, I was influenced by Britannica's reputation for comprehensive depth as well as my desire for a reliable encyclopedia that integrates fully within the Logos/Noet core engine and library. That's what I expect a good encyclopedia to do. As for textual content, all the articles I have consulted so far have been sufficient to orient me within a subject so that I can more intelligently approach primary sources. I don't have a basis for assessing the extent to which this edition is abridged (nor did I have any expectation of an unabridged set at this price), but I can say that I'm very pleased with the broad range of articles in this edition and the excellent graphics it contains (comparable to no other resource in my Logos library). Having ordered this on pre-pub when it was originally announced and receiving the Compton's Encyclopedia along the way, I was delighted today when I finally got a chance to peruse the Britannica Noet edition. With all due respect to other reviewers, I'm actually very happy with this purchase. Logos Research Subscription for Schools.

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