Anyone use Scapple? - Page 2

BookCat · 05-06-2017, 12:27 PM

Thanks for the feedback. I read in a youtube comment that Scapple was no longer being developed. I suppose the makers feel that it does the job as it is. What I like is its simplicity. Unlike trying to do the same job in Word, I can just think of an idea, slap that down on screen, have a related idea, put that down ad infin, till I develop a plot. I then join related elements together and highlight (using colour) the salient points. Achieving the same thing in Word would require too much formatting. OneNote could come close, but still not do exactly the same job.
Moving things round is easy too, which helps when joining aspects of a plot together. For example, one initial idea was of some stolen spectacles. "Stolen Specs" was my first note. Then I wondered where they'd be stolen from, and wrote that note down, and who from, and who by, and why, then more about motive, and what were the consequences, etc. I joined them together according to flow of action, character, and other relevance.
When the trial is up (which is on the same terms as Scrivener), I'll probably pay for it. Unlike the man who has a hammer and sees every problem as a nail, I like using new software so see the problem as something for which I need new tools.

gmw · 05-07-2017, 03:20 AM

Your use puts me in mind of various charting software (flow-charts, organisational charts, network diagrams etc), which could also be used for this purpose. But that's the problem, put a software engineer in charge of developing the product and suddenly you get all this extra stuff that ends up just making it harder to use. In the end, I think the simplicity of Scapple is probably it's most attractive feature.

Good luck with it.

Dr. Drib · 05-07-2017, 08:13 AM

I looked at Scapple when it first came out, but it looked too 'thin' on features. I always felt it should have been included in Scrivener and then beefed up.

I'm still looking around for a great organizing tool, one that relies on a kind of index card metaphor and that can be manipulated into all sorts of 'mind features'.

It would have to be downloadable for the Mac (not cloud based), by the way (and not an app), but a piece of software for the computer.

One that might have fit the bill is SuperNotecard, but it's now only available as an online writing tool.

BookCat · 05-07-2017, 01:40 PM

Dr Drib, if you weren't using a Mac, I'd suggest Papel. You can go deeper into details with that software, but it's Windows only and also abandonware.

gmw · 05-07-2017, 10:12 PM

On the other hand, if you do find some Windows software that is just right, remember that there are products like VMware Fusion that would let you run it on the Mac.

Dr. Drib · 05-08-2017, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

Dr Drib, if you weren't using a Mac, I'd suggest Papel. You can go deeper into details with that software, but it's Windows only and also abandonware.

I'll look into it, nevertheless. At one time, about 1/3 of my Mac was Windows-based and I encountered no problems, but I later removed the Windows segment to free up more space on my HD. I've since put in a 1TB HD, but I now have THAT just about filled up, since I now have it mostly filled with FLAC files so that I can connect it to my DAC. (I should have bought a 2TB HD or simply a music server.)

Thanks!

05-07-2017, 08:13 AM	#18
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,037 Karma: 56751447 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	I looked at Scapple when it first came out, but it looked too 'thin' on features. I always felt it should have been included in Scrivener and then beefed up. I'm still looking around for a great organizing tool, one that relies on a kind of index card metaphor and that can be manipulated into all sorts of 'mind features'. It would have to be downloadable for the Mac (not cloud based), by the way (and not an app), but a piece of software for the computer. One that might have fit the bill is SuperNotecard, but it's now only available as an online writing tool. Last edited by Dr. Drib; 05-07-2017 at 08:29 AM.

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05-06-2017, 12:27 PM	#16
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,911 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	Thanks for the feedback. I read in a youtube comment that Scapple was no longer being developed. I suppose the makers feel that it does the job as it is. What I like is its simplicity. Unlike trying to do the same job in Word, I can just think of an idea, slap that down on screen, have a related idea, put that down ad infin, till I develop a plot. I then join related elements together and highlight (using colour) the salient points. Achieving the same thing in Word would require too much formatting. OneNote could come close, but still not do exactly the same job. Moving things round is easy too, which helps when joining aspects of a plot together. For example, one initial idea was of some stolen spectacles. "Stolen Specs" was my first note. Then I wondered where they'd be stolen from, and wrote that note down, and who from, and who by, and why, then more about motive, and what were the consequences, etc. I joined them together according to flow of action, character, and other relevance. When the trial is up (which is on the same terms as Scrivener), I'll probably pay for it. Unlike the man who has a hammer and sees every problem as a nail, I like using new software so see the problem as something for which I need new tools.

05-07-2017, 03:20 AM	#17
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,815 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	Your use puts me in mind of various charting software (flow-charts, organisational charts, network diagrams etc), which could also be used for this purpose. But that's the problem, put a software engineer in charge of developing the product and suddenly you get all this extra stuff that ends up just making it harder to use. In the end, I think the simplicity of Scapple is probably it's most attractive feature. Good luck with it.

05-07-2017, 01:40 PM	#19
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,911 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	Dr Drib, if you weren't using a Mac, I'd suggest Papel. You can go deeper into details with that software, but it's Windows only and also abandonware.

05-07-2017, 10:12 PM	#20
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,815 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	On the other hand, if you do find some Windows software that is just right, remember that there are products like VMware Fusion that would let you run it on the Mac.