Sunday, October 22, 2006

Writing Tools... So close: Ooh, Missed!

I'm always looking out for a good tool to help in writing or mapping ideas. MindJet's MindManager is brilliant, if expensive for individuals, and not available on-line. PBWiki makes great tools for sharing ideas on-line. Google is helping me move a lot of my writing to the web by letting me move documents onto a universal desktop space. (To say nothing of Google Search itself, but I'm a bit biased towards that company.)

I'm hunting for the perfect -- or at least, usable -- idea mapping software. An acquaintance suggested Wridea. I checked it out and, sadly, have to say it takes writers back a notch in terms of usability. The fact that the software is affiliated with a mail list management company (read all those wonderful e-mails you don't want to receive) makes me leery of their motives in getting e-mail addresses from users and those with whom they share their idea maps. (Sorry, guys: smoke, fire, and all that jazz.)

If anyone has a better site for idea or story mapping, please let me know: comments always read.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Jupiter's Little Mix Master

The small spot's getting redder!

Maybe it's pulling stuff up from lower down? Like, uh, because that's what vortices do? Of course, that'll spell it's doom.

I love Jupiter. Compared to the Earth it's an easy place to understand, and cheap speculation.