Brainstorming software that accelerates logical thinking, writing and planning - BrainStorm is the brainstorming tool that lets you capture, organize and share ideas.

BrainStorm in action

Descriptions and hotlinks to actual-size pictures of BrainStorm in use:

BrainStorm basics

The working view of BrainStorm is a heading and a list
Any entry in a list can be the heading of its own list
Duplicate entries are automatically hyperlinked and marked with a double chevron

The end result is a tree of information with 'back-door' links between related branches.
The Aerial view shows an outline of how your work is progressing.
You can open multiple views of your working model. Graham Smith kindly provided an annotated example of how he works in this way.

Working view

Aerial view

Multiple views

Grab information and links on the fly
BrainStorm's Magic Paste automatically grabs text from the clipboard. This means that all you have to do is highlight and copy material you see on screen. You can use regular copy/paste if you prefer. In both cases, you can set BrainStorm up to take heed of or ignore things like indents, vertical spaces and line breaks. The example below is from BrainStorm's 'thinkerlog' blog.
If you include valid email, web, file or program addresses then you can activate them directly with Magic Launch.

Selected area of web page

Pasted into BrainStorm

Web-publish BrainStorm models
A web-publish button creates an HTML version of your work which is navigable in a similar way to BrainStorm itself. You can even embed extra HTML code to change fonts, add pictures, hotlinks and so on. Another option allows you to switch off the clever stuff and output the file as a simple HTML outline. Here are some links to live web-published models (use your browser's back button to return here):

HTML version

With extra code

As an outline

Work with Word (and other programs)
You can output your work to other programs through the clipboard or a file. Many programs accept tabbed outlines as an input format. BrainStorm's File Open command is intelligent enough to extract meaningful information from any file.
Here's an example of exporting work to Word. (A Word macro is supplied with BrainStorm.)

A simple model

Pasted into Word

In Word outline

Work with PowerPoint (and other programs)
BrainStorm's File Open command is intelligent enough to extract meaningful information from any file. It particularly likes outlines because it can re-create the original hierarchy. Exporting to PowerPoint is simply a case of adding an empty line between each slide.
Here's an example of importing the text of a presentation from PowerPoint. (A PowerPoint AddIn is supplied with BrainStorm.)

A PowerPoint presentation

Exported to BrainStorm

Aerial view

Brainstorm Software