Graphic Forum Applications

A Graphic User Interface For Online Forum (Aus and International Patents Pending) 1. The Concept i. A graphic interface for online forums. ii. The functionality includes all the normal functionality of a forum. iii. The graphic user interface (GUI) is similar to that of a mind map or ‘visual mapping’. iv. A mind map is a graphic display of concepts using labeled shapes that are visually linked by lines. The graphic objects may be arranged and rearranged in such a way as to visually depict associations between the ideas represented in the mind map. v. A forum or blog is a display of asynchronous conversational threads between a number of users. vi. The purpose is for collaborators to discuss a range of issues that are displayed in a visual format and be able to publish a summary document that records the contributions of participants. vii. The innovation is the ability to graphically link and arrange forum threads in the style of a mind map. viii. The core element of the application is the ability of the individual graphic elements of the user interface, which replicate the ‘nodes’ of a traditional mind or concept map, to also have the functionality of a forum.