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MaxThink
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Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Jul 24, 2011 at 06:57 PM
[Rescuing MaxThink for the other thread because it deserves a thread of its own.]
MaxThink is an interesting case study. It’s an application with a definite philosophy behind its creation. When you get a copy, it comes with a help file that is chalk full of information not just on how to use the application, but also about best practices in outlining. I very much admire the intention and the vision of MaxThink, but sadly, the implementation is not very workable. In an earlier version, it had incorporated in-line editing of topics, but then Neil decided it would be better to provide a separate edit window for composing topics. This makes MT look like a standard two-pane outliner, when it is nothing of the kind. But this causes all kinds of mental fits for those of us used to two-pane outliners. Beyond this, the user interface is difficult to grasp. An application like this needs to fade into the background when you use it, not continually require the user to recall key strokes, etc.
It’s really too bad, because a solid, user-friendly version of MaxThink would be the ultimate outlining tool.
Steve Z.
Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Jul 24, 2011 at 06:58 PM
I’d love to hear comments from people who are using MT effectively!
SZ
Posted by JBfromBrainStormWFO
Aug 2, 2011 at 06:35 PM
Stephen, do you know when MaxThink was invented? I can’t find the date. I’m trying to figure out who invented the mark sort technology for outliners.
Posted by MsJulie
Aug 2, 2011 at 07:13 PM
I was using MaxThink in 1986, as best I can reconstruct my memory. I did my work in MaxThink and TornadoNotes.
What am I showing—age or experience?
Posted by JBfromBrainStormWFO
Aug 2, 2011 at 08:25 PM
brainstormWFO was developed in ‘81 and released in ‘83… so they’re close to each other, just not sure which came first
cain and abel