MindManager

OK, I’ve been using this one for a while, but it bears mention here.  I use MindManager almost every day for one thing or another.  I use it to collect my thoughts, analyze documents I’m reading and reviewing, brainstorm ideas, and numerous other things.  Fundamentally, it’s a mind mapping application, but for my money, it’s the best one.  Mind Mapping applications live and die based on their user interface, and on that basis, you’re better off buying one than using FreeMind (sorry, FreeMind).

Worth the money because: Very easy to use UI, can export to OPML, compatible with the Windows version.
Pet peeve: DEVONthink can’t automatically index MindManager documents
Windows Version: YES
Alternatives: NovaMind, FreeMind, others.

DEVONthink

DEVONthink is one of those applications you have to use for a little while first to realize why it’s worth the money.  I picked up the Personal edition 1.0 for free during a MacHeist giveaway, and recently upgraded to the Pro version 2.0.  This is an application for collecting, organizing, searching, collating, and mining information.  I use it to organize the random stuff I run across on the web, cross-reference that with book references, and sort and search the growing number of PDF e-books in my collection.  The PDF search, PDF annotation, and cross referencing features are worth a lot more money than I spent on this application.  Search alone is worth the price of admission.  If you have a lot of PDF e-books, stop reading and go download a trial right now.  Oh, and Windows users, this one is worth switching for.

Worth the money because: PDF Search, fantastic AI and research support
Pet peeve: Import Web Site feature needs a lot of improvement; doesn’t play well with FireFox
Windows Version: Unfortunately not
Alternatives: None that I am aware of.

Scrivener

Scrivener is an application for writers.  If you’re an essayist, journalist, novelist, or short fiction author you may want to take a look.  It has some of the same features of DEVONthink but it’s oriented towards the writing process as opposed to the research process.  For writing short fiction, I’ve started to use DEVONthink to collect up all of my ideas and do some of the research heavy lifting, and when I decide to launch a writing project, I move into Scrivener.  The Edit Scrivenings feature makes writing from an outline work the way it should, and I can always reorganize my thoughts later with the corkboard.  Brilliant.

Worth the money because: Makes writing from an outline or set of ideas easy, collects all of my writing ephemera right next to the manuscript itself.
Pet peeve: Doesn’t do PDF search like DEVONthink does.
Windows Version: Unfortunately not
Alternatives: The vendor has a comprehensive list.

OmniGraffle

I like pretty pictures, and OmniGraffle lets me draw them.  For anybody who has ever used Visio and wishes there was a Mac version, this is what you are looking for.  If you’ve never used Visio but have the need to draw diagrams of any sort for work, school, or your volunteer projects, you should take a look.  As a basic example of what OmniGraffle does, when you draw a line between two shapes, then move the shapes, the line stays attached (Visio does that too).

I use it to draw diagrams for work, from UML Diagrams (be careful, this is a diagram tool, not a UML Modeling tool) to User Interface wireframes to flowcharts and everything in between.  The automatic alignment and spacing guides save tons of time, and the ability to do things like “copy the color of this circle to that square” quickly is another huge bonus.  One of its coolest features is its support for linked layers.  If I have a collection of drawings in the same document and I edit part of one of them, linked layers lets me automatically ensure that the changes happen in all of the other diagrams as well.  It’s not a feature everyone needs, but once I discovered it, I almost immediately remarked that OmniGraffle just paid for itself.  If you’re a Windows user, this one is worth switching for.

Worth the money because: It’s Visio.  For the Mac.  Actually, it’s what Visio aspires to be.  Seriously.
Pet peeve: Can be a little tough to do with a trackpad – a mouse works much better.
Windows Version: Unfortunately not; Visio is about as close as I’ve seen, and it doesn’t measure up.
Alternatives: None that I’ve seen.

Of course, I also do other things with my Mac like audio recording and photo editing; a discussion of those applications will have to wait for another post.

Full disclosure: I own all of these products and use them regularly.  I received absolutely no compensation or consideration from the vendors for writing this article.