In the category of concept/mind-mapping-type software that has some features of outlining interest, the following has just been released:

InfoRapid KnowledgeBase Builder 1.0

http://www.buildyourmap.com/

It's from the same company that created InfoRapid KnowledgeMap (http://www.inforapid.de/

Runs on Windows and is free for non-commercial use.

Looks like it could be fun to check out...

Thanks for this, looks interesting. I had a very quick look. I was looking for something similar a year ago for modelling a network in 3D.

But this doesn't seem to be quite what I had in mind. I'd prefer if the network was totally fixed, rather than rearranging itself every time you click on a node. I find that confusing, as I lose a sense of the shape of the network.

This is why I've never warmed to TheBrain and why I find the Navigator so helpful in ConnectedText. Fluidity is great but I also want the option of pinning things down, so networks can retain a shape that can be recognised and remembered.

For example I'd want to be able to model geographical relationships (locations between places), overlaid by relationships between people in those relationships, overlaid by events that happened in those places and with those people.

Then I'd like to annotate that network by labelling items, nodes, relationships. And I'd like to navigate that space like you navigate Google Maps.

Has anyone seen such a thing? Here is the original thread:
http://www.outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/3805

I see they've also replicated The Brain's sticker shock.

Hi Dr Andus, when developing the InfoRapid KnowledgeBase Builder, I had Google Maps in mind. I wanted to develop a program which can handle unlimited Mind Maps where you can attach data like documents and images to the nodes and relations like Panoramio images are attached in Google Maps. I feel the same like you, making the layout totaly dynamic is confusing and this will change with version 1.1. It won't be exactly like Google Maps, but it will come closer. Regards Ingo

I don't understand what you mean with "sticker shock". The program is free for private use and the only restriction is the single user database, that the database can be accessed only by one user at a time. I think this is no real restriction for private usage. And I don't know any company, where 99 Euro for the Professional version is much money, here in Germany they pay more if they fill up their fuel tank.

Ingo wrote:

I don't understand what you mean with "sticker shock". The program is
free for private use and the only restriction is the single user
database, that the database can be accessed only by one user at a time.
I think this is no real restriction for private usage. And I don't know
any company, where 99 Euro for the Professional version is much money,
here in Germany they pay more if they fill up their fuel tank.

See, this is the issue I have with most pricing models. The price for commercial use is set with the idea that the software is being sold to large companies for whom money is no object.

However, I'm a broke freelancer for whom that is a LOT of money.

That said, I haven't checked currency rates in a while and it seems 99 Euros does translate to a bit less than The Brain for me, but still far more than it costs to fill my gas tank.

Bob.

99 Euro doesn't sound expensive to me. Take Mindmanager or Mindgenius Pro, for example: they cost over 300 Euro.
If that's too much: There is a wealth of free mindmapping tools and - a few - concept mapping tools.

Franz

Ingo,

You've clearly got a bigger car than me ;-) But I also find the pricing reasonable - it's half of what The Brain charges and it's not the type of software which will sell millions of copies so that you could charge 1.99 for it.

I like that I could immediately work with the software without the need to refer all the time to a manual - I worked it out in about 3 minutes, and it worked as advertised and without noticeable bugs or crashes (unusual on my system). What I miss, though, is being able to add text to nodes except by importing an external file. Unless I've missed something ...

Graham

Ingo wrote:

Hi Dr Andus, when developing the InfoRapid KnowledgeBase Builder, I had
Google Maps in mind. I wanted to develop a program which can handle
unlimited Mind Maps where you can attach data like documents and images
to the nodes and relations like Panoramio images are attached in Google
Maps. I feel the same like you, making the layout totaly dynamic is
confusing and this will change with version 1.1. It won't be exactly
like Google Maps, but it will come closer. Regards Ingo

Hi Ingo - Thanks for your reply. This all sounds very interesting! I'm looking forward to trying out 1.1. Please let us know when it's available. Cheers.

Graham.

You’ve clearly got a bigger car than me

Maybe, he has. But gasoline is much more expensive over here. About 1.60 Euro per litre Super unleaded, today.

Franz

"Over here"?

Franz, I live in Germany too ;-)

Graham

Franz Grieser wrote:

Graham.

>You’ve clearly got a bigger car than me

Maybe, he has. But gasoline is much more expensive over here. About 1.60
Euro per litre Super unleaded, today.

Franz

Graham.

I wasn't aware of that. Where are you? I live 20 km to the south of Munich.

Franz

Bad Bentheim - me and my tiny car ...

(Apologies to all for the off topic wanderings in this thread - I'll shut up now).

Graham

Franz Grieser wrote:

Graham.

I wasn't aware of that. Where are you? I live 20 km to the south of
Munich.

Franz