Apple's not the only one telling people to "Think Different."

So is an outfit called Mindjet.

It's into mind mapping, which isn't as chilling as it sounds. It's merely a way of brainstorming and diagramming non-linear thinking that actually goes back to Porphyry of Tyros in the third century. He used the technique to visualize the concept categories of Aristotle, which of course makes it alright then. But we digress.

What you do is start with a central topic and surround it with sub-topics arranged on lines or branches sort of like a family tree - which is all terribly graphic and, in Mindjet's case, gussied up with embedded data and live hyperlinks.

Because it's a visual way of sifting through and organizing what may otherwise be random thoughts and ideas, it might get you to that great AHA! Eureka!! moment faster than usual - or so the argument goes.

Well, since linear thinking apparently got us into the fix we're currently in globally, Mindjet sniffs that it might be time to try something new.

Not that Mindjet - which sees itself as a fifth productivity tool alongside word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and e-mail - doesn't already have a million users.

It passed that milestone a year ago and includes on its customer list folks at places like Cisco, EDS, IBM, HP Germany, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, SAS, Deutsche Post World Net, Bosch, Nokia, T-Mobile and BT.

And now it's branching into cloud computing.

The company has just launched MindManager Web, which like Google Docs is a shareable Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) application.

Now you can edit your mind maps anywhere, anytime; co-edit them with others; and pick who can access your maps in secure workspaces. And the cloud widgetry is compatible with the company's MindManager desktop Windows software, which just hit rev 8.

According to IDC analyst Mark Levitt, program VP, Collaboration and Enterprise 2.0 strategies, MindManager 8 is a "game changer for Mindjet and mind mapping tools" in general.

Mindjet, he says, has addressed mind mapping's big hurdle - being able to share fully functional maps with people who don't own the product.

Besides MindManager Web, Mindjet has a dingus in MindManager 8 called Mindjet Player that transforms maps into fully interactive Adobe PDFs or Flash .SWF files that can be shared with anyone, published to blogs and embedded in web pages.

Its maps also incorporate a browser window so users can view web pages and PDF documents without leaving the MindManager software. Users can also view and edit attached Word, Excel, Project and PowerPoint files from the embedded browser, and use Google and Yahoo search. MindManager-created maps are also searchable themselves as well as their contents and attached documents and the widgetry can access data from Excel, Oracle, DB2, SQL Server, Access and MySQL.

Mindjet, which is backed by 3i and IGC, says studies conducted internally by BMW, Boeing and Nationwide have found that people who use MindManager can save six to 11 hours a week developing strategies, managing projects and preparing for meetings.

English and German versions of MindManager 8 and MindManager Web are available now. French and Japanese are due early next year.

Single-seat perpetual license run $349, with upgrades starting at $179. MindManager Web/Mindjet Connect packages cost 10 bucks a month per users with a one-year subscription.