Whenever I’m at home and wanna sketch out an idea, I find myself missing my nice big whiteboard at work.
Why isn’t there some kind of application for a PC which emulates all the good things of a whiteboard? I use Visio all the time, but you can’t use that to sketch. Could I just use something as simple as Paint if I got myself a tablet?
I dunno…but right now I’ve got ideas I wanna get down on paper and work out…and the concept of plugging it all into Visio doesn’t excite me at all. Off to find paper and a pen.
Comments (2)
I would recommend mind mapping tools. Here are a couple that I believe both have free 30-day trials:
http://www.inspiration.com/productinfo/inspiration/index.cfm
http://www.visual-mind.com/wv.htm?0015
Too bad my favorite electronic brain organizer, StickyBrain, doesn't run on Windows: http://www.chronosnet.com
Posted by sneebish | December 9, 2004 12:49 AM
Posted on December 9, 2004 00:49
I've used mind mapping software before...my favorite is "TheBrain" @ http://www.thebrain.com
In this case, tho, what I really needed was a whiteboard (or its digital equivalent). I needed to draw out a fairly complex network diagram, then brainstorm a number of ways to do the things I wanted to accomplish and draw them out to see if they would work. I had the ideas...I needed to have a drawing I could erase, redraw over, etc. Whiteboards are great for that...even if you end up erasing with your hands and getting black dust all over you. :)
I suppose a pencil would have worked just fine, instead. Just not as speedy as running your finger along a line to erase it. And did I mention my dislike of pencils?
I suppose I also could have printed out a copy of an old Visio, fixed the out-of-date info, then copied it a bunch of times before leaving work. Then I could have drawn out one idea on a copy.
Had I stayed in my house my "lab" was going to have walls made of whiteboard material. You can get it by the 4x8 sheet at your local home center. Then I would have plenty of room to scribble, doodle, plot and plan. I think I may invest in a 3x5 whiteboard for home after the holidays. Prbly will be cheaper than a graphic tablet for my PC, and a bit more portable than whiteboard walls while I'm living in apartments.
Posted by Damon | December 9, 2004 1:50 AM
Posted on December 9, 2004 01:50