TechnoBabble likes 3D Topicscape

There's a very extensive review of Topicscape's 3D mindmapping capabilities at TechnoBabble. They've even gone to the trouble of making some videos.

The mindmapping software weblog picks up review

The mindmapping software weblog echoed RevolutionCalling's review (below), though Chuck Frey says "It's a powerful tool for visualizing information, but I wouldn't classify it as a mind mapping application."

My view is that anyone who is used to mindmapping will find the way of building a topicscape very familiar. The key point is that when a 2D mindmap, built in many popular tools, gets too big to handle effectively, you can port it to Topicscape and see all the relationships and names preserved and carry right on extending it.

In fact in the latest Beta, you can import a FreeMind mindmap to Topicscape and export it back to FreeMind - a full round trip is possible.

Revolution Came Calling

Review of 3D Topicscape on the RevolutionCalling blog.
It's an "extremely effective mind mapper".

Mindmaps Directory

There's a Mindmaps Directory now at www.topicscape.com/mindmaps/

This has thumbnails and pointers to mindmaps all over the Web - hundreds of mindmaps, spidergrams, bubble diagrams, concept maps and the like. You can filter to see just one map type.

Each map has multiple tags so you can also choose to see all the maps relating to a tag (from the tag cloud).

3D Topicscape 1.11

With a great extension of the import and export functions, Topicscape went into a new Beta phase a few weeks ago as 1.1. We have since added a demonstration function that takes a new user through flying and then the steps to make a new Topicscape and search it, so now it's at Beta 1.11. We've had some bug reports and have mostly sorted those out. We had some feedback on how to 'speak' to the user better - that's working its way into the Beta now. (Beta 1.111??)

We are hoping to take this version live in about a month's time (where have I heard that before?)

At that time we shall be removing some, but not all, of the early-adopter discount, so be warned!

Some interesting skins are taking shape - glass, metal - and the Students' Edition is looking Wow, with its colors and shading. Very helpful when you're using Topicscape as a learning tool.

What's happened to 3D mindmapping?

3D Topicscape was launched in its full version on May 19 2006.

It was reviewed in the Wall Street Journal on June 26 2006, and on the BBC World Service on August 3rd 2006.

A new Beta went on line 29 August 2006 - it has extended import and export functions (including round-trip capabilities).

In development now are
- 3D Topicscape Personal Edition 1.5 (many new features - more detail later). This will be released for Beta testing in October / November 2006.
- 3D Topicscape Student Edition (soon to go into Beta - let me know if you are interested, via http://www.topicscape.com/contactus.php).
- 3D Topicscape Project Team Edition (networked Topicscapes for small business information management and project management).
- A product to build Topicscapes from web sites
- Web-enabled Edition (thin client, not all the functions of the thick-client version)
- New skins - one glass, one colorful, and others on the way.

Much more information is available at http://www.topicscape.com

Thinking in 3D landscapes -- seeking Beta users

I'm in the beta team of a very small group of developers that's been building a 3D concept-mapping tool for a couple of years. (If you're familiar with Mind Mapping®, concept mapping has many similarities.) This tool is called Topicscape and we're looking for people interested in trying it out. It is at the Beta 2 stage and has been through a few months of testing by a small group of outside users.
Interested?
It uses a concept mapping approach because we believe that's a great way to think and plan but it's really a tool for organizing all sorts of information as well as getting your thoughts straight. Each node can have files, URLs, emails and parts of files dropped on it. You can have many files on a node if you want.
We chose to make it work in 3D, because sometimes concept maps (and Mind Maps®) can get too big if you use them on big projects or as a place to organize a lot of reference information. We've found that using 3D on a computer screen allows us to take in and understand much more at a time. It's written mainly in Java because we want it to be multi-platform, but so far it's only working on Windows - Linux and Mac versions will be along when we've converted the drag-and-drop logic that uses features that Java doesn't support (equivalents of OLE and stuff).
It's a personal edition (one PC). If you'd like to try it, the web site is http://www.topicscape.com/. There are screen shots and stories from users showing how they organize their work, personal information and hobbies.
Argey

Mind Maps® and Mind Mapping® are registered trademarks of the Buzan organisation.
Topicscape® is a registered trademark of 3D-Scape Limited

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