Re: MaxThink

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Note: This message is from the outliners.com archive kindly provided by Dave Winer.

Outliners.com Message ID: 778

Posted by FinkelsB
2000-10-14 23:34:18

I agree that Neil’s products (esp. MaxThink and Houdini) are conceptual marvels, and it would be wonderful to see him take things to the next level. I hope he has the focus and the resources to do it.

In many ways the visual user interface of MaxThink anticipated the World Wide Web, IMO. On the other hand, the program has become absurdly dated. The function key layout hasn’t made any sense since IBM moved the keys from the side of the keyboard to the top, I haven’t used any other software that follows the old WordStar keyboard editing commands in many years and nobody who was introduced to computers in the ‘90s knows them, the limitation to ASCII-only characters is irritating, the date manipulation commands fail with Y2K, etc., etc. Neither the RTF conversion nor the Save to HTML command handles underscored text correctly. And let’s not even mention the manual that gives more advice about running the program under DesqView than under Windows!

In sum, I find MaxThink indispensible, but increasingly infuriating. In terms of the long-promised Windows port, I’m hoping for a home run, but frankly I’d gladly settle for Neil showing up in the batter’s box wearing the right uniform. The DOS-hostile Windows Me that now ships with new PCs may finally provide the necessary stimulus.

UserLand, which hosts this website, is promoting a standard, cross-application XML outline format called OPML. A version of MaxThink that ran on Windows and the MacOS and was file-compatible with OPML would be wonderful, but for now I’d gladly settle for a simple Windows port of MaxThink that can read and write files in the old DOS format but also supports Windows fonts, Windows printers, basic character formatting, and the clipboard.

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