On: My Mind: A new web-based mind map editor

[aroman]

This is really impressive, nice work! The ability to export in so many native and useful formats is really awesome as well.

One suggestion: it was not clear to me (until I RTFM'd) that I needed to press the "insert" key to insert a new node. Perhaps a few words of explanation on the homepage would be helpful?

[robmclarty → aroman]

The interface was a complete mystery to me. I clicked and dragged and hit enter and gave up. I read the manual and discovered the insert key (although I don't have one on my mac laptop) and then used tab. But I need to use my mouse to click on a node and then tab and then back to mouse and tab... seems awkward. Could you make it so i can just click and drag from a node to "pull out" a new node and have that default to have focus so i can just start typing?

With any of these sorts of programs, I think it's good to keep the pen and paper interface in the back of your mind. If it's easier/faster/more intuitive to use pen and paper, I think there's still some work that needs to be done on the interface ;)

[ondras → robmclarty]

The UI is designed (and battle-tested) to be controlled mainly via keyboard. Mouse is mostly useless (but somewhat supported for non-power users).

You definitely shall not toggle mouse/kb in an infinite fashion; stick with the keyboard control instead - use arrow keys for navigating around.

[robmclarty → ondras]

Then I guess my question is this: why is a mostly visual interface/representation mainly controlled by non-visual means? To me, a mind-map is not a "power user" tool and is used for organizing loosely understood ideas in hopes of getting a better grasp on their domain.

IMHO it should be something easy to play with, move things around, unstructured (in the sense that a user's stream of ideas won't necessarily be coming into the program in a structured way; the point of the program being to structure them), and be able to make many corrections and revisions. The goal of the tool should be to take unorganized thought and mould it into a comprehensible hierarchy that can be used to communicate ideas to others.

[noiv → robmclarty]

Using insert for childs, enter for siblings and arrows to navigate seems kind of a standard among mind maps. I had no problem at all. Using the mouse only slows down the mind to map process.

[cocoflunchy → aroman]

Agreed, I spent a few minutes looking around and trying to add nodes before I found the help. And then some time looking for an 'insert' key on my keyboard... haven't found it yet ;)

[ondras → cocoflunchy]

Wow, I never thought that an Insert key is going to be such mystery. It is kind of a standard way of inserting a new node in other mind mapping (desktop) apps...

[Semiapies → ondras]

And besides not being included on every keyboard, it's not an command key, but a text-mode toggle, in every other desktop app.

[speg → ondras]

I also have no "insert" key on my keyboard. And tab just cycles through various form controls on the right..

[ondras → speg]

fn+return does the trick on macs.

Tab works once you focus the map itself by e.g. clicking a node.

[klewelling → ondras]

If it makes you feel any better I have used other mind mapping tools and Insert was intuitive to me.

[aroman → cocoflunchy]

I guessed (correctly) that on my Macbook Air's keyboard cmd+return is "insert".

[cocoflunchy → aroman]

Unfortunately cmd+return does not work on my iMac (it does the same thing as return, which is add sibling).

[sixothree → aroman]

Or better yet, have the default map an explanation of how to get around the interface.