The Brain version 8 versus version 6

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Posted by Graham Rhind
Oct 3, 2015 at 01:57 PM

Apart from cosmetic features (curved linking lines, icons, link labels, Twitter “integration” and so on) can anybody in the know tell me if The Brain version 8 is fundamentally different/better than version 6? Given its price I’m loathed to upgrade if it isn’t a real advance on previous versions. Also, can version 8 still export a brain as a SiteBrain? I have no need of, or interest in, using their WebBrain site or syncing my brains via the cloud, but I do still want the option to output a brain as a website.

Thanks in advance!

Graham

Posted by Paul Korm
Oct 3, 2015 at 03:45 PM

If would wait before buying v8 unless you really need it today. Their website explains the differences in versions—I found v7 more of an upgrade from v6 than v8 was from v7. The basic features all all there in all three versions, but v8 added better handling of attachments, sync calendars to Google calendar, and a lot of tweaks with labels, tags and links.

The reason to wait is that TheBrain is once again going down their usually extraordinarily dragged-out process of teasing customers about the new version - TheBrain 9—which of course has been in development for years. The big change in TheBrain 9 is abandoning Java and creating platform-specific “native code on each platform”. That could mean a lot of things, but the screen shots they published a few days ago do not look like much is changing in the UI except removing the Java-style controls.

(See the last portion—as of today—of this thread http://forums.thebrain.com/post/thebrain-development-update-7385918?&trail=15)

I’m annoyed at myself for spending a wad of cash over the past 4 years with this company and getting almost nothing in return in the form of a useful string of feature improvements and innovations. There’s a lot of innovation possible; but not from the current team over there. I love the product and would have been happy and well-served never upgrading from 6 to 7 to 8 and maybe to 9. But I don’t like the company, and their snarky public persona. TheBrain fits into the meme that so-called “artisanal software” (i.e., cynically, software that not many people buy) should command a premium because it is, well, “artisanal”.

Posted by Paul Korm
Oct 3, 2015 at 03:48 PM

Sorry for the rant. At tax time one often wonders “why did I buy that” ;-)

Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Oct 4, 2015 at 11:24 AM

I wrote about the changes between version 7 and version 8 here:

https://welcometosherwood.wordpress.com/2013/12/05/thebrain-8-useful-improvements/

If you use WebBrain to sync your Brains among multiple computers, then that is what you pay for with TheBrain Pro Combo subscription each year. The upgrades are just a bonus. If you’re not using WebBrain, you may be satisfied with an older version, because the basic functionality has not changed. You get a few more features.

I am intrigued by the move away from Java, though I hope they have the programming resources to pull it off, and keep all platform versions robust.

Steve Z.

Posted by Graham Rhind
Oct 5, 2015 at 07:43 AM

Thanks Paul/Steve.

I stopped upgrading when they removed a polite but negative post I had made in their forum (not untypical behaviour, apparently) and I also got fed up with regularly paying wads of cash for updates that contained few improvements of value (and also the removal of some features that allowed users to avoid being pushed into their money-making schemes, such as the WebBrain). But I have a project which would suit The Brain so I wondered how much had changed. Looks like I can stick with version 6 for the time being.

Graham

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