Microsoft Word 2007, beneath the hood, incorporates some powerful XML, .Net and VBA tools that enable it to integrate with other applications. Mindjet Labs has been working on ways to leverage these capabilities, and has just announced that it has developed a way to edit MindManager maps from within Word 2007. This will enable MindManager users to send a map to colleagues who don’t have the program, and they will still be able to review it and modify it.
Microsoft’s new "Open Packaging Convention" will also enable toolbar data to be embedded in Word files. That means when a user opens the embedded map, MindManager-specific toolbar buttons will also be loaded into the Word interface. Pretty cool!
This capability isn’t available just yet for mere mortals, however: Some of the underlying .Net technology won’t be available until Microsoft’s new Vista operating system and the new version of Microsoft Office launch later this year (or early next year?). In addition, it will take some time before organizations begin to adopt Vista and Office 2007. Still, these capabilities are quite compelling, and will eventually open up MindManager to a world of new users.
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