E-Brainstorming Tools

[Roger Bullis]

How about folks posting innovative software for brainstorming?

I just ran across the free Microsoft program called Stickysorter.

"Description: StickySorter is a free sticky notes program that introduces a number of innovations such as the ability to cluster stickies in groups, the ability to define fields, the ability to import and save notes into CSV, the use of the front and back of the sticky, and others.
This is a unique desktop sticky notes program from Microsoft Office Labs that it is primarily concerned with enabling the user to organize and work with their notes rather than simply to display them on the desktop."

Roger

[Dr. Jorge Olaf Nelson]

Thanks, Rog.

I do a lot of affinity diagramming when working with teams in continuous improvement. This will help a a lot!

I used a free tool called CMap for this and I like it due to the connectors that can be labeled...

[Gary Donahue]

I used CMap for a while and liked it a lot, I found one I liked even more as it allows you to:
embed web pages/Google Docs, draw w/ external tablet, easily record voice/video with in program, break apart PDFs, has a host of project management features, and finally is the most ascetically appealing mind mapping program I have seen. The name is Curio http://www.zengobi.com/products/curio/

Mind42.com http://www.mind42.com/ is also an outstanding free web 2.0 mind mapping software. I use it frequently with my students.

[Roger Bullis]

Hi,

I would love to use Curio but as a Windows user as are most all of the folks in the 4 colleges I have worked for, I am out of luck. (In this day and age there is no excuse for software not to be cross-platform, but I digress)

The mind42 links shows promise.

Thanks.

Roger

[Gary Donahue]

Hi Roger,

I didn't introduce myself to the group yet, so in a brief few sentences: I had the pleasure to work with Jorge Nelson in Venezuela. I have been teaching internationally for 10 years, mainly as a technology coordinator. I know there is a lot of work to be done on balancing our educational systems with a Mathetic's perspective; it's nice to know there a place to collect and share our thoughts.

I agree there is no excuse for one-platform software. I've just recently come back to the Mac platform which can now smoothly run Windows. Right now I have Mac OS on one screen and an external monitor running XP with the Fusion virtulaization program. I been using it for almost a year and it has been trouble free.

I haven't had a chance to play with stickysorter yet, but I'm interested in checking it out. Thanks

[Laurie Nelson Alexander]

That's hilarious...I just looked at it for the first time today myself! What a coincidence!

You know what though...I could not find an option to print from it. I'm still looking for a software program like this that is intuitive, easy and fast to use...that I can print my sticky pages from to use as a wall visual. Anyone know a good one? I have both PC and Mac capability.

[Roger Bullis]

Hi Laurie.

This Windows program does stickies and printing..

"StickyPad Feeware Sticky Notes - StickyPad Feeware Sticky Notes - StickyPad is an invaluable, easy-to-use tool that lets you place sticky notes on your desktop. You can type notes to yourself, set meeting and appointment reminders, keep track of a to-do list, and anything else you would do with paper notes. Your notes can be printed, pasted into other applications, or emailed to coworkers. You can even make notes translucent and have them float above your other windows, so you can see both your note and what you are working on. When you log off, StickyPad remembers all of your notes, and when you log back on, your notes are still there. The new version of StickyPad adds new features, such as shortcut keys, so you can write sticky notes from any Windows application without using the mouse, a time-saver for keyboard jockeys. The latest version also sports a help system in case you get lost, an updated appearance, and shadows, and a new visual effect." .

[Laurie Nelson Alexander]

Hey Rog! Does it let you lay out a whole bunch of stickies, like I would on a flip chart paper (much like Jorge's diagram above) to create a visual map of ideas?

[Gary Donahue]

Hi Laurie,

It might not be the perfect solution, but on the Mac platform if you press the Command-Shift-4 keys at the same time you be able to designate an area of your screen you would like to take a screen shot of. The jpeg created should look good once printed.

[Roger Bullis]

Hi,

Looked at it quickly and don't have an answer for you. Sorry. MS folks are using it so maybe Jan has an answer

Roger