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Mind Mapper Prices
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Posted by Stephen R. Diamond
Sep 13, 2007 at 06:40 PM
We once had a discussion about whether mindmapping software was overpriced. Some price differences may support that conclusion. MindGenius Business costs almost $300, compared to almost $60 for MindGenius Home. As to functionality (contrasted to aesthetic aspects, a _contrast_ for me, but not for everyone), Home essentially lacks only the filtering features, interesting but not to my mind a core outlining/mind mapping feature.
What allows such a differential? I wonder if the business edition is mainly purchased by corporations for their employees. Are corporations generous these days with such amenities? If so, it may be the only scrap of generolity left in today’s business climate.
By my standards, MindGenius Business is the best mind mapper today and MindGenius Home represents the best current value. A good middle point is MindMapper 5. MindMapper sells previous versions as current alternative versions. You can buy versions 3.5, 4, or 5, on an upward price gradient.
(Why all the agony over what is ultimately a fairly small amount of money, in the context of business or professional use? I sometimes wonder about that, in such discussions, that is when I don’t initiate them. Perhaps it is like the decision to “have just one drink.”)
There is a very cheap way apparently to obtain mindmapping software. I doubt its legality. Does anyone know anything about the OEM versions of such software that is sold online. At such Internet outposts you can get MindGenius Business 2.4 OEM (but an earlier build than currently sold, without the right to upgrade) for $15; MindManager and MindMapper each for $20 (OEM versions; I don’t know how these relate to the current commercial offering.) Does anyone know anything about these offerings? Are they legal? If not, is the consumer or only the distributor breaking the law? What does the quality tend to be? Or do they take your credit card number and not return a product or use it fraudulently otherwise? Any information or experience appreciated.