# MindManager



## fredtgreco (Dec 18, 2008)

Some of you may be familiar with mind mapping software:

List of mind mapping software - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

One very good tool is MindManager. Version 8 has just come out, and there is a discount for non-profits. I find it very helpful for sermon prep, as I can just put down thoughts and concepts from a text, and then use the Map to organize the comments/thoughts/applications/illustrations into a more cohesive outline.

Mindjet: Brainstorming, Free Form Thinking, and Visual Aid Mind Mapping Software Program


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## Semper Fidelis (Dec 18, 2008)

Interesting. How does Mind Manager know how to cohere your brain storming. Whenever I'm prepping to teach, I find myself coming up with a lot of thoughts over a period of time. I suppose this kind of software is meant to capture those ideas and outline them somehow?

-----Added 12/18/2008 at 05:08:53 EST-----

BTW, I imagine this would be helpful to those that have less talent than others at organizing their thoughts into a coherent presentation.

-----Added 12/18/2008 at 05:16:49 EST-----

BTW, there is an academic discount: Mindjet MindManager 8 - WIN with Academic Discount at JourneyEd.com


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## fredtgreco (Dec 18, 2008)

Rich,

It basically allows you to type in various call out balloons your thoughts. Then you can put them into a "tree" format. So what I do is just free form type them up as I go along, and then when I have the total "data" on the map, I can move them around, change the hierarchy (which relates to an outline) delete some, add new ones, etc. Then I can export the map to Word using a Word template that I have specifically for a sermon outline.

I've attached a PDF of what a "finished" product looks like.


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## crhoades (Dec 18, 2008)

Great software. I use it on a daily basis for work to manage multiple projects that do not require full blown project management.


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## VictorBravo (Dec 19, 2008)

I'm needing a mind mapper just to come to grips with all the productivity software out there. 

Maybe I'm just having learning curve fatigue. I've been working at learning Adobe Acrobat Pro better, particularly using interactive forms. But that required learning about XML, which led to learning Javascript, which led to. . . ., well, at least now I can import XML forms data to Excel so I can export it to custom pleadings . . . .

Fred, have you ever used CaseMap? It sounds similar in use, but maybe less intuitive.


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## crhoades (Dec 19, 2008)

victorbravo said:


> I'm needing a mind mapper just to come to grips with all the productivity software out there.
> 
> Maybe I'm just having learning curve fatigue. I've been working at learning Adobe Acrobat Pro better, particularly using interactive forms. But that required learning about XML, which led to learning Javascript, which led to. . . ., well, at least now I can import XML forms data to Excel so I can export it to custom pleadings . . . .
> 
> Fred, have you ever used CaseMap? It sounds similar in use, but maybe less intuitive.



For forms and xml skip Acrobat, javascript, and excel and look into Microsoft Infopath 2007. Yeah, I know...more software.


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## VictorBravo (Dec 19, 2008)

crhoades said:


> For forms and xml skip Acrobat, javascript, and excel and look into Microsoft Infopath 2007. Yeah, I know...more software.




 Just what I need. But I use Acrobat for all sorts of things, like Bates numbering electronic documents, indexing and searching, converting, etc.

And I cut my teeth on Lotus 123 so Excel seems OK.

But my real whine is how I used to do all sorts of things easily with Word Perfect 4.2 and Reflex and Basic. Man, I could conquer the world with my home made statistic spreadsheets, definite integral programs, and automatic merged forms. It was the best of times for a dilettante--a computer and no internet to distract you. With all that and my daisy-wheel printer I was ahead of almost everyone.

And now I'm so far behind. . . .


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