Relationships

I'm going to try a little weaving now - technical term that doesn't mean I'm turning the PC off and heading for the loom! We don't (usually) think in straight lines, the power of the brain is that it creates neural networks and we make associative links between seemingly disparate pieces of data from which we create understanding or questions that prompt further understanding. Hypertext allows us to "jump" from place to place and create our own pathways but it's still limited - it's still not as immediate as our brains might like. Enter one of my absolutely favourite sites on the web. It's limited in that you only get so many free shots before they ask for money but the underlying technology is just sooooooooo sexy and I've seen this engine used in a couple of different ways. For me it's another generation of associative mapping and I really wish I had access to this kind of kit for some true mind-mapping. Check out the Visual Thesaurus and see what you think. Can you see how it might be used for linking songs and artists? For mapping communities and the relationships within them? For recipes?