ThinkComposer early beta
Started by Lucas
on 10/8/2011
Lucas
10/8/2011 1:49 am
Interesting new Windows software for concept mapping and the like --- the developer just released the first public beta. (I have yet to try it.)
http://www.thinkcomposer.com/
http://conceptmodeler.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/only-for-very-early-adopters-thinkcomposer-public-beta-launched/
I like the name.
http://www.thinkcomposer.com/
http://conceptmodeler.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/only-for-very-early-adopters-thinkcomposer-public-beta-launched/
I like the name.
Dr Andus
10/8/2011 11:44 am
Thanks. I've been using Cmap Tools (http://cmap.ihmc.us/ for years, which I like for its simplicity and ease of use, so it will be interesting to compare it with ThinkComposer. Are there any other concept mapping tools out there of note?
Ben
10/8/2011 1:32 pm
I regularly use Tuft's Vue: http://vue.tufts.edu/
Alexander Deliyannis
10/8/2011 7:20 pm
The other well-known concept mapping platform is Compendium http://compendium.open.ac.uk/institute/
Interestingly, all three (Cmap Tools, Compendium and VUE the most recent entrant) have been developed in academic environments and have been used in a significant number of papers.
Interestingly, all three (Cmap Tools, Compendium and VUE the most recent entrant) have been developed in academic environments and have been used in a significant number of papers.
Dr Andus
10/8/2011 8:08 pm
VUE is very nice. I just had a quick try and I think I'll be switching from CMAP Tools with immediate effect. I love the rapid prototyping function and the fact that you are not forced to define relationships, as CMAP Tools does. But the nice thing is that there is zero learning curve involved. Compendium just somehow strikes me as more daunting, so I wasn't tempted to download it, as I'm busy and it feels like there is more of a learning curve involved, judging simply from their website and the screenshots. But thank you both for your suggestions.
Dr Andus
10/10/2011 5:19 pm
Regarding outliners and concept mapping, which outliners out there make it the easiest to convert an outline into a (visual) concept map or vice versa, at the click of a button? CMAP Tools and VUE are primarily visual tools, and their outline view is rather limited. (I recall seeing something like that in ConnectedText, but unfortunately I don't have the time to learn that one right now.) At the moment I create my outlines in one software, and then build a concept map in another. But there must be a better way....
Stephen Zeoli
10/10/2011 5:21 pm
Well, not that I'm a big fan of it, but Inspiration goes from an outline to a diagram and back again at the click of a button.
www.inspiration.com
Steve Z.
www.inspiration.com
Steve Z.
Dr Andus
10/10/2011 5:58 pm
Stephen Zeoli wrote:
Thanks Steve. Inspiration has come up a few times now (ability to have in-line notes and now the diagram), so I guess I'll really have to check it out now.
Well, not that I'm a big fan of it, but Inspiration goes from an outline to a diagram and
back again at the click of a button.
www.inspiration.com
Thanks Steve. Inspiration has come up a few times now (ability to have in-line notes and now the diagram), so I guess I'll really have to check it out now.
Alexander Deliyannis
10/11/2011 9:49 pm
Dr Andus wrote:
I believe many here would agree that viewing one's information structure in different formats is useful and often insightful; however, such options are usually limited, with only mind map to outline and vice versa being a relatively common possibility.
Also being able to (easily) transfer structured information from one program to another in order to view it --and manipulate it- differently is very desirable, but far from evident.
At the moment I create
my outlines in one software, and then build a concept map in another. But there must be a
better way....
I believe many here would agree that viewing one's information structure in different formats is useful and often insightful; however, such options are usually limited, with only mind map to outline and vice versa being a relatively common possibility.
Also being able to (easily) transfer structured information from one program to another in order to view it --and manipulate it- differently is very desirable, but far from evident.
DaXiong
10/14/2011 3:40 am
@ Dr. Andus & Inspiration
I use Inspiration (v 8) quite a bit, but as an outliner. I'm not much of a concept mapper, but the feature is there. When I'm bored, err - needing inspiration for my writing, I click the button and see the concept map of my work. One click of the button again, and I'm back in my outline.
I do enjoy Inspiration as an outliner - but the company developing it is focusing more and more on schools (grade and secondary level). I've had the program for years, so cost isn't an issue. Today, with the direction they're taking it, I don't know if I'd spend the money for it.
The strength of the program (for me) is its ability to work in paragraphs. It's easy to re-arrange paragraphs, and to get a clear view of the outline. In this regard, Sense is just as powerful ... maybe more so.
I use Inspiration (v 8) quite a bit, but as an outliner. I'm not much of a concept mapper, but the feature is there. When I'm bored, err - needing inspiration for my writing, I click the button and see the concept map of my work. One click of the button again, and I'm back in my outline.
I do enjoy Inspiration as an outliner - but the company developing it is focusing more and more on schools (grade and secondary level). I've had the program for years, so cost isn't an issue. Today, with the direction they're taking it, I don't know if I'd spend the money for it.
The strength of the program (for me) is its ability to work in paragraphs. It's easy to re-arrange paragraphs, and to get a clear view of the outline. In this regard, Sense is just as powerful ... maybe more so.
Dr Andus
10/14/2011 3:06 pm
Stephen Zeoli wrote:
I did check out Inspiration but I just can't bring myself to pay 59 British pounds just to have that single feature, and I also wonder how it would deal with a massive piece of work like the outline and concept map for an 80,000 word PhD dissertation. It does bring together what otherwise I do in 3 or 4 different pieces of software, but the downside is that overall each of that functionality is presented in a rather feature-poor environment. I appreciate it that they need to do that for children, but I like to have a bit more control and versatility.
Well, not that I'm a big fan of it, but Inspiration goes from an outline to a diagram and
back again at the click of a button.
www.inspiration.com
Steve Z. and DaXiong
I did check out Inspiration but I just can't bring myself to pay 59 British pounds just to have that single feature, and I also wonder how it would deal with a massive piece of work like the outline and concept map for an 80,000 word PhD dissertation. It does bring together what otherwise I do in 3 or 4 different pieces of software, but the downside is that overall each of that functionality is presented in a rather feature-poor environment. I appreciate it that they need to do that for children, but I like to have a bit more control and versatility.