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Simtel MSDOS 1992 September
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Simtel20_Sept92.cdr
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hypertxt
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hyper.arc
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FILE26
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1988-02-01
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Why do we make both MaxThink and Houdini?
=========================================
What are the differences between MaxThink (a hierarchy manipulator) and
HOUDINI (a network manipulator)? Isn't a hierarchy a subset of a network?
If so, then why the two programs?
Good questions ... and you're right. A hierarchy is a subset of a network,
graph, or lattice. But while MaxThink and HOUDINI share many of the same
commands, the screens are radically different. Here's why.
MaxThink centers on three features -- lots of ways to move, display, and
organize information, whether text, files, or graphics. For example:
The ways you move information defines a style of thinking.
MaxThink supports many styles such as analytical, evaluative,
synthesis, and focused thinking. <FILE54 TYPES OF THINKING>
The ways information is displayed affects perception. MaxThink
easily displays information using formats that emphasize either
transitions (text), sequences (lists), similarities (hierarchies),
or boundaries (segmented lists). <FILE50 PERCEPTION>
The ways to organize information are the same with all kinds of
information. The same commands organize words, lines, sentences,
paragraphs, disk files, pictures, or software macros.
At the outer limits, MaxThink is a tool for philosophers and linguists as it
helps users to find and define boundaries of ideas and language.
Ideas and language are alien concepts to traditional users who see computers
primarily as go-faster hunks of iron and silicon <FILE71 SPEED>. However,
language is the source of understanding and insights <FILE52 INSIGHTS>. So,
that's MaxThink.
Now HOUDINI. Given the capabilities listed for MaxThink, what's left in
the field of software that aids thinking? <FILE54 THINKING> Surprise --
Houdini supports generalizing, abstracting, completeness, balancing, and
indexing. These concepts are fundamental with interactive information, and
are issues that HOUDINI handles with ease. For example:
Generalizing -- In a hierarchy, information remains independent.
In HOUDINI, repeated information automatically links together.
Abstracting -- Organizing information into a hierarchy clarifies
thinking. HOUDINI easily finds and displays the natural modularity
or hierarchies in complex networks of information.
Completeness -- Most failures in thinking occur with unanticipated
interactions between ideas, people, objects, processes, or
environments. HOUDINI quickly locates all possible interactions to
insure completeness in thinking.
Balancing -- In cases where many acceptable solutions exist,
HOUDINI includes commands that rapidly find the best possible
solutions.
Indexing -- A network indexes information from multiple criteria
once. This is especially useful in constructing hypertext
systems.
In one sense, MaxThink organizes information as objects by moving it into
selected slots in a hierarchy. In contrast, HOUDINI organizes information,
not by moving it but by stringing threads (links) between the various
units.
MaxThink is movement of objects; HOUDINI is link construction. At the
theoretical limits, all organizational processes are totally defined by either
process (movement or linking). In operation research and philosophy, this
mirror symmetry is called duality.
But don't let duality scare you. In mechanical terms, one program simply
moves text into desired locations with other text; the other program just links
text to other units of text.
To become a bit abstract, both MaxThink and HOUDINI handle multiple
dimensions of information, but in radically different ways.
MaxThink With MaxThink, each level in a hierarchy organizes information
======== into categories (or dimensions). For example, two dimensional
data (i.e., software programs by category) might be represented
as a list with two fields at each level, or as a hierarchy with
categories of software at the first level and programs at the
second level.
With low-order dimensions (2-3), hierarchies work if you put the
levels in the right order. However, with information having
5-30 dimensions, hierarchies don't work. That leads us to
HOUDINI.
Houdini Each unit of information in HOUDINI (called a node or topic) can
======= link to as many as 2,500 other units (or dimensions). This only
seems very complex. HOUDINI rapidly links information to
multiple dimensions using a technique called matrix outlining.
Once understood, this feature is considered the most important
benefit of HOUDINI by people who wish to classify information
from many viewpoints simultaneously.
While pointing out the differences between MaxThink and HOUDINI, the two
products do work together. For example, you can transfer a hierarchy from
MaxThink into HOUDINI, either as a hierarchy (don't merge duplicate topics) or
as a network (do merge duplicate topics).
The inverse is also possible. HOUDINI has commands that find both subset and
superset hierarchies within a HOUDINI network as well as commands that
transfer such hierarchies into MaxThink formats.
Hierarchies are a universally understood method of communicating information.
However, in searching for the best hierarchical format <FILE75 STRUCTURE> for
your information, a network is often the best place to start. Network
environments allow you to rapidly classify your information by multiple
dimensions without forcing you to immediately choose which dimension belongs
at each level in your ultimate hierarchy.
What does all this have to do with hypertext? Well, it is your ability to
categorize and classify ideas in ways that match the needs of the users that
creates great hypertext <FILE64 TOOLS USED>. For that reason, both MaxThink
and HOUDINI are essential <FILE30 HOW TO USE>.
However, if you need details on the uses of both hierarchies and networks
in tasks of writing, thinking, planning, organizing, or hypertext
construction, phone me at MaxThink between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
California time.
References: ----------------------------------
Comments from reviews <FILE15>
Neil Larson 1/16/88 FILE26
44 Rincon Rd., Kensington, CA 94707
Copyright MaxThink 1988 -- Call 415-428-0104 for permission to reprint