Note taking - mind mapping Python & Open ERP

As I am continuing to learn Open ERP, I tried to keep track of what I am learning (Open ERP, Python,...). I decided to use FreeMind a small software (written in Java) for creating mind maps.

FreeMind has a simple interface, you create nodes by pressing the return or insert keys. This is fast to create a tree structure of your ideas and in my case keep track of my progress. Navigation is globally more confortable than with a linear text.

Unfortunately the tool is not perfect.

For example as I learned Python, I wanted to keep track of code snipsets that are for me the most valuable source of information for remembering an aspect of a programming language. It is annoying not being able to specify a title and hide the body of the note - I am getting too big block of text, the work around is to create one node for the title and one for the code...

Another aspect is text formating which is applied to the entire node - no way to say that this word should be in bold/red (for example to separate visually the code from my comments).

Another issue is that FreeMind supports text but not graphic. I should say not that much. You can insert pictures but it is a pain and there is no way to diagram easily within the map and the Windows clipboard is not supported - that would save my life, helping me to work with Snagit (Snapshot taking) for example.

The interface is also sometimes driving me nuts. For example when you want to apply a function of the toolbar, the current selection is lost when you move over something else... watch out!

As I followed the Open ERP course I regretted not having used my PC to take notes. The problem remains which tool to use... FreeMind is nice but probably too basic in many aspects...

I will finish on a positive mention for the export, I can export my maps to HTML with Javascript. This makes my notes very accessible and easy to browse. Let's hope they will enrich it a bit so it can be of more general usage.

I will post my maps later on (I still don't know how...)