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Mind versus tree navigation; html versus rtf editing
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Posted by Cassius
Mar 20, 2007 at 01:10 PM
Alexander Deliyannis suggested that I look at Axon Idea Processor.
I did.
I’m nauseous.
-c
Posted by Alexander Deliyannis
Mar 20, 2007 at 07:35 PM
Alexander Deliyannis wrote:
“...an outliner tree column is much more effective in terms of screen real estate”
(This topic has a multitude of threads running already; sorry for adding more, but at least this is related to the title!)
A strategy employed by quite a few information managers using tree navigation, is showing categories/folders only—not the articles/items; instead, these are shown as a list in another pane. Zoot works like this by default; in Idea! and Surfulater it is an option.
I find it particularly practical when the number of items escalates. I wish that UltraRecall could have it, but it really makes no distinction between items and folders; in fact, folders are just a type of items on the tree, and any item type can have others as subsidiaries. This seems to reduce the number of “steps” in the hierarchy, i.e. you don’t need to keep creating folders, just place an item wherever you want to.
Still, I would consider UR’s approach tactical rather than strategic.
alx
Posted by Alexander Deliyannis
Mar 20, 2007 at 07:48 PM
Cassius wrote:
>I’m nauseous.
You can’t please them all!
After seeing the diagram you sent, I have the impression that you prefer clean, straight lines and boxes in clear flow, rather than the overstylised approaches offered my mind mappers etc. There’s a multitude of flow/organisational chart software out there, including object oriented drawing packages like Concept Draw and professional analysis software like AllClear.
Interestingly, even in the mind mapping domain, software like Mind Genius offers the possibility to create simpler/clearer diagrams. There seems to be a good reason for it. When I first showed my business partner a mind map created with Mind Genius’s default “organic” curved lines his reaction was similar to yours towards Axon. As soon as I changed the settings to straight fixed-width lines he said “Ah, that looks much nicer; now I can actually understand it”.
alx
Posted by Daly de Gagne
Mar 20, 2007 at 09:44 PM
Alex, do you not get the same effect with UR when you use the child panel?
The other nice piece is that after users really made an effort to emphasize the need for hoisting, UR put a hoist in the latest version. I respect UR for being able to make an on-the-spot decision to deviate from a position its developers held strongly in order to accomodate what a number of users was saying was important. Pretty impressive!!!
Daly
Alexander Deliyannis wrote:
>Alexander Deliyannis wrote:
>”...an outliner tree column is much more effective in
>terms of screen real estate”
>
>(This topic has a multitude of threads running
>already; sorry for adding more, but at least this is related to the title!)
>
>A
>strategy employed by quite a few information managers using tree navigation, is
>showing categories/folders only—not the articles/items; instead, these are
>shown as a list in another pane. Zoot works like this by default; in Idea! and
>Surfulater it is an option.
>
>I find it particularly practical when the number of
>items escalates. I wish that UltraRecall could have it, but it really makes no
>distinction between items and folders; in fact, folders are just a type of items on the
>tree, and any item type can have others as subsidiaries. This seems to reduce the
>number of “steps” in the hierarchy, i.e. you don’t need to keep creating folders, just
>place an item wherever you want to.
>
>Still, I would consider UR’s approach tactical
>rather than strategic.
>
>alx
>
Posted by Alexander Deliyannis
Mar 20, 2007 at 10:23 PM
Daly de Gagne wrote:
>Alex, do you not get the same effect with UR when you use the child panel?
The effect is similar, but the tree remains as populated as ever. My point was that in the approach followed by Zoot, Idea! and Surfulater, the child items do not appear in the tree at all, which makes navigation less confusing.
As always, I think there’s a compromise between structure and versatility. Making items and folders discrete requires planning, but IMHO leads to a “cleaner” and more solid structure in the long term; (does your experience with InfoHandler confirm this?). On the other hand, Brainstorm and UR can link anything to anything, which is much faster to do.
>The other nice piece is that after users really made an effort to emphasize the need for
>hoisting, UR put a hoist in the latest version.
I hadn’t really watched the outliner software scene for about six months; I then spent a few hours browsing this forum’s post (and feeling rather envious of the discussions I misssed!). That’s actually where I heard of UR v3.0 and I downloaded it straight away. Hoisting was one of the many pleasant surprises I found.
Overall, I am very positively impressed by Kinook’s development and support record, and very happy to have chosen UR as my main project tool.
alx