Seavus launches DropMind version 1.1 with many new business-focused features
Dec 2nd, 2009 | By Chuck Frey | Category: Software
Seavus, the developer of the desktop mind mapping program DropMind and its web-based companion application, recently announced version 1.1 has been launched. This update includes a number of valuable enhancements that should significantly increase its appeal to business users:
Task information: You can now set task priorities, add, start and end dates, add task duration and percentage complete, as well as assign resources to task topics.
Filtering: In order to make sense of large, complex mind maps and zero in on the information you need, map filtering is essential. DropMind 1.1 now supports this capability. You can now filter topics based on icon markers, notes, hyperlinks, attachments and key topics or alerts. Nice!
Map parts: DropMind 1.1 enables you to save part of a map that you’ve created as a “map part,” and then re-use it later in different mind maps. This is a real time-saver, especially if you tend to frequently create the same types of mind maps (such as to do lists, meeting plans and business proposals). Business users will especially benefit from this new capability.
Alerts: You can now use alerts to set a reminder to open and work with a specific map at an assigned date and time. You can set an alert for any map topic.
New export formats: XML and Freemind have been added to the extensive list of export file types that DropMind can produce. When it comes to business applications of mind maps, more export formats is a very good thing.
Topic numbering: You can choose the numbering scheme from a predefined set of options and depth to which it will be applied within your mind maps.
Topic styles: You can modify the topic font, shape and color, alignment, size and margins, and subtopics layout, and then save these settings in the program’s style library.
Expanded language support: DropMind 1.1 now supports Japanese, French and Spanish languages.
Multi-platform support: DropMind 1.1 can now be used on the Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Mac OS and Linux Ubuntu operating systems.
A new Application Programming Interface (API): This will enable developers to write add-in programs to DropMind to further enhance its functionality. This could be potentially huge for Seavus and DropMind – but only if they can get the attention of developers.
Click here to view all of the new and improved features in DropMind version 1.1.
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Hi Chuck,
Thanks for following DropMind continuously and for supporting our new release. I am happy to hear that you like the new features.
Please let me inform you that the that desktop application is available in German as well, and
the web application, v. 1.1, has been released with a set of new features. The complete overview of the web application features can be found here: http://web.dropmind.com/NewFeatures.aspx.
We highly appreciate your support and we are eager to hear additional feedback from all.
Have a great day,
Natalija
Hi Chuck
Every year for I don’t know how many years I look for new concept mapping software. They all so far have had limitations and cross-learning seems poor – they don’t seem to incorporate the strengths of rival systems. DropMind is about the closest I have seen so far, but still contains some baffling omissions. It works quite quickly (unlike my previous favourite, Xmind) and has a sophisticated array of features. Navigation and panning is good, and it does not lose the topic one is working on in a large map during edits.
However it does not seem to be possible to save a map style. The supplied styles are gruesome, and if you want a fairly plain dark on light style with each new topic to be declared with a rounded rectangle shape, there doesn’t seem to be a way of achieving that. Even the opening Welcome map is does not have a declared style – if one adds branches to it, it adds them as unbordered text.
Morever, though it supplies free floating shapes which can be linked in a freeform network (as opposed to a tree), one still has to press shift to stop them linking, one cannot overlap them, and the ‘relationship’ link is infuriating. It automatically creates a madly curved bezier links, all of which have to be individually edited (though one can control-click several) and the default link style can not be changed. SouthBeach modeller does this freeform linking very well.
The ovals too need to be more responsive to the text inside (like Xmind) rather than just circumscribe a rectangular text shape – they waste too much space.
Hotkeys need to be customisable for functions like notes viewing and the relationship tool needs to be made sticky for linking freeforms rather than picking it off the menu each time.
Cheers
Alan