Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

FreeMind: Mindmapping for Notes and Blog Post Ideas

Filed Under Guest Writer, Successful Blog, Tools, Writing | 15 Comments

Guest Writer Grigor Ćorić of Behind the Glasses

If you are looking for mind mapping software it is a chance that you’ve already stumbled upon FreeMind, GPL-licensed software, a collaborate project on SourceForge. I did it more than 6 months ago.

FreeMind is written in Java and therefore is cross-platform. Once installed, it runs smoothly and without any hiccups. Although the low version number (0.8) would suggest that this is an incomplete product, it is not. It has everything someone would expect from a serious mind mapping application.

FreeMind is best used in applications where you draw maps quickly and for limited purposes, such as brainstorming, keeping meeting notes or jotting ideas for an article. Not that it is completely impossible to add more attractive visual elements, but the visual elements are limited to basics, such as inserted pictures.

This is a screenshot of a mind map that I drew to organize ideas for a post on my blog:

FreeMind

As you can see in the picture, you can

Basic functions are performed quickly and easily. You can use both keyboard and a mouse. Keys are assigned to functions in a sensible way, so the most used keys are those that insert, enter, or delete a subtopic (child node). There is one small annoyance to get use to: a topic (or node) is not selected by a mouse click but when the mouse pointer is placed over it. Therefore nodes can become selected inadvertently. Be careful!

After a period of extensive usage, I can highly recommend FreeMind as a great alternative to more highly priced software. A hard-core mindmapper might miss some features, but then again, there is always a sheet of paper and a couple of pens.

Kind regards,

Grigor Ćorić

Thanks, Grigor, for offering this alternative for folks who want something smaller to try their mindmapping skills.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Mind Mapping: Right Brain Work Ahead — Enter At Your Own Risk
Compendium from OpenLearn: FREE Mindmapping Software

What is He Talking About? Chris Cree on Incompetence

Filed Under Guest Writer, One Way to CC It, Successful Blog | 48 Comments

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. –Isaac Asimov

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There was a time when I bought into that quote by Isaac Asimov wholeheartedly. At first brush it really makes complete sense. Even today when I get frustrated or impatient I can feel the anger rising in me. I can see how that anger, if left unchecked, could easily lead to violence. And trust me, I have no delusions about my own competence in some areas. :roll:

But as I get older I find myself wondering if all violence is a result of incompetence. I mean unfortunately the truth is that some folks just don’t understand anything short of violence. Bullies must be faced down or they won’t stop bullying.

Passive resistance only works in systems that have some sort of built in restraint. Can you imagine if someone like Gandhi tried to passively resist the Roman Empire to throw off their oppression? Rome didn’t have the same aversion to mass slaughter that the 20th century British did and would have nailed resisters up on crosses by the thousands faster than a spilled Starbucks in a January Chicago parking lot would freeze.

Nope. As I get older I’m learning that life has a lot more shades of gray than I thought. Violence usually takes more than one party to ensue. Even with the most perfectly competent person, I think there may come a time when others give them no alternative.

Chris Cree is a regular contributor here at Successful-Blog and he helps businesses fuel growth through blogging with his consulting business, SuccessCREEations.

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