MindMapping a Programming Book?

Question

I have been thinking to MindMap the Programming books I will be reading from now, to be able to quickly revise the concepts.

This struck me, since last semester before starting to code on my final year project (on a building a WebApp in Struts) I had to give 15 days to revise the Java EE and Struts concepts. In that period, I made cheatsheets (by hand) and pasted it on my wall for the whole semester, to keep me in touch.

So, I think MindMapping would help me achieve the same and I can keep the MindMaps in Cloud and autogenerate the required cheatsheet in HTML and print it anytime whenever I want to stick them onto the wall.

I am wondering if people have tried such techniques before and have any suggestion, or if they don't think it to be a prudent idea.

Answer 1

Since you're saying things like "cheatsheets" I suppose you must just mean reference books. I'm not sure what a "mind map" of those would give you that Google won't give you faster.

If it's just a matter of remembering it long enough to pass a test, then do whatever works, which is different for everyone.

Answer 2

You might as well just paste the Table of Contents and Indexes from each book on your wall. That way you'd know which book you need to look stuff up in.

In programming there are many books that highlight basic concepts and then more advanced books that go over all the same concepts in more depth, so your mind map would get very redundant.

Answer 3

Pragmatic Thinking and Learning is a great book on many learning concepts written from a programmer perspective. The inside cover has a mind map of the entire book. It was helpful.

Answer 4

I think it's a good idea. If you just want to look up details, Google (or Stack Overflow, or the FAQ list) may be a good alternative, but drawing mindmaps or something similar gives you overview and helps you organize the stuff in a way that is natural and convenient to you. This can be very different from what other people like! Plus that the process of drawing itself can be a learning tool.

I sometimes draw a lot, by hand, in the books themselves. This probably destroys those books for other readers, but I think it makes the reading process easier, and the next time I want to look at something it is easier for me to find it.

Answer 5

It's a good idea - atleast I have tried it with non-programming books - was a great way to summarize and revisit the contents. This would probably work well with books which are language-agnostic.