A New Tool

Posted by Graham Rhind
Nov 13, 2007 at 03:29 PM

I just wanted to revisit this thread about Flying Logic as I’ve had a chance to look at the software more closely.

As I work on my own I’ve never had much use for brainstorming software. I always start off knowing what the end result will look like because there is no input coming from anybody else’s brain. I therefore only use the mind mapping software I have to create graphics for presentations.

Flying Logic helps me because it constantly re-draws the graphics as information is added, which for me acts as a feedback to my brainstorming - a second brain. By constantly representing the information differently, it makes me aware of links and structures I wouldn’t have been so quick to see. And at the end of the process there’s no extra drawing work required to produce output - the graphics are ready to export/print.

I started by using Flying Logic to analyse my information and task management/repository software use, and found that I am using 11 (eleven!!!) software packages to do this currently, with at least two others waiting in the wings - so much for joining this forum to help me to find a single solution! But the mind mapping process using Flying Logic allowed me to see why I was using so many packages - the strengths and weaknesses of each - and, where I was putting similar data into two or more packages, I could simplify my workflow as well as producing a structure diagram of the processes for future reference.

I am also using Flying Logic to work out a structure for my next book.

I would also like to say how incredibly stable this software is. The one “bug” I have been able to find is more of a hidden feature allowing users of lower-priced versions to use higher-priced version feature - hardly a problem!

Also by the same developers is Sciral Consistency (http://sciral.com/), which I don’t think has been mentioned in this forum before. It is a simple program for repeating tasks which have flexible target dates, such as taking exercise. I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time, so was happy to find it and it might be something others find useful. The software isn’t being actively developed any more, but I found a bug, reported it, and it was fixed within 24 hours.

Graham

PS: if anybody has an overwhelming desire to know which eleven packages I’m using, let me know :-)