New on mind-mapping.org this week, there are even more new, browser-based mind-mapping apps, and some bits and pieces of news about other events.

Ekpenso

Ekpenso* is a new, web-based mind mapping application in the first stages of development, but they are offering off-line use with Google Gears from the get go.

* Footnote: According to their web site, “Ekpenso” is Esperanto for idea or thought.  Not a lot of people know that…

Mindjet Connect

Given MindManager’s reach — almost certainly greater than any other commercial mind map software** — the most important announcement recently must be the web server application launched by Mindjet.  This works with MindManager to support collaborative use of mind maps. 

I’ve got a couple of questions in at MindJet about the clients it works with and pricing anomalies.  Will fill in on these later.

Update July 16 2008: One lost email and a re-send later, I can now say how users interact with Connect.  You can use : The full desktop product (MM7 SP2); Firefox 2.0; Safari 2.0 (Mac); IE 6.0 (with XP); and IE 7.0 (with Vista) to access and edit mind maps hosted on the Connect server.

On price the range  for the standard package is:
1-9 users, $11.99/user/month on a month by month basis (less if you commit to a year)
50-99 users, $8.99/user/month for a 1-yr contract.

** Second footnote: OK, all you FreeMind folks, I know you almost certainly have way more downloads than any other mind map software, but I carefully wrote “commercial mind map software”, OK?)

Mind42 no longer Beta

Mind42 has come out of Beta.  It is still free, but they say they’re working on a ‘pro’ version.

Wisdomap

A new web-based mind map application from the UK, this one focuses on associated clips, images and other and multimedia related to a mind map but separated from the map itself to reduce confusion.

More about Chuck Frey’s re-organization of his blog

After his move, Chuck has gathered all his valuable reports and research in one place here: http://mindmappingsoftwareblog.com/research-reports/ 

Vic
http://www.mind-mapping.org/
The master list of mind mapping &
information management software

New on mind-mapping.org this week are three map-related tools: C-TOOLS, CharTr and Mind2Chart.  And two that have been updated - VUE and MindVisualizer.

C-TOOLS

C-TOOLS is a server / web based combination for making concept maps in an educational environment.  It even has an automated mark-students’-work-as-you-go capability.

CharTr

It’s early in the life of this project but it is making progress.

Mind2Chart

Not a mind mapping product, but an add-on for MindJet’s MindManager that can produce Gantt charts from a mind map with project management data included.

MindVisualizer

MindVisualizer has been upgraded with multi-centred mind maps, and the association descriptions needed for proper concept maps.  Well worth a look.

VUE

 I have been hoping for screenshots from VUE and now I’ve found some on the site.  VUE recently became VUE 2.0, by the way.  Aimed at education, this has interesting possibilities for presentations.

That’s it for this week.

Vic
The master list of mind mapping &
information management software

Chuck Frey has done a comparison of the functions of some of the web based mind mapping services.  Starting from Tiffany Brown’s comparison chart that I blogged about almost a year ago (here: “Valuable comparison of four web-based services“), he did a great job of updating that and adding the new kid on the block, MeadMAP as well.  With Tiffany’s permission, he has now published this extended, in-depth comparison.  And what’s more, you can download it free.

For each of these web apps: MindMeister, Mindomo, Mind42, Comapping and MeadMAP - he has covered over 60 features and capabilities, including an overview (versions, pricing); map formats supported; map level features; topic-level features; import options; export options; publishing options; collaboration and other features.

Combined with Mind-mapping.ORG’s price and summary information on the Nineteen web-based mind mapping applications this makes a vital addition to the information available to those needing help in making a choice.

Great job Chuck!

Vic
http://www.mind-mapping.org
The master list of mind mapping &
information management software

Some new information organizing and visualization software for you.  Things got behind as I put together the web-based mindmappers reference pages (see my post of 14th December, 2007) and continued working on the interoperability reference resource.  The web-based one is done, as previously announced here, and the interop one is approaching first publication. 

But the entries for the mind mapping software database kept piling up, so I had a clear out over the holidays, and I bring you six new programs.

Dendroscope

Information mapping for a very specialised area, evolutionary biology, but this could be stretched to other forms of hiearchical visualization, and anyway it’s free.

LinkSViewer

This is a web-based service that gathers together information about people, companies, educational establishments and all sorts of relationships and turns them into an interconnected map.  A concept map of sorts.

Shared Space

An information management tool with a mind-mapping influence.

Skrbl

Not a mind mapping tool, but an on-line whiteboard that would allow collaborative mapping.

Surfulater

Organize files in an advanced form of outline, with graphics and web pages in a browsing screen.

Solution Language Tool

A mind map and activity map editor.  No easy download for the free trial, instead you must fill in a form having five mandatory fields.

Finally, a historical note:  Rationale has been in the database since July 2007, but I just learnt of Reason!Able that it replaced, and added it for the record.

Happy New Year!
Vic

 Update: Corrected spelling of Surfulater.  December 28, 2007

You know all those web-based mind mapping applications?  Well, I’ve been happily digging around for the past couple of weeks and putting all the information together and at last it’s published.  Now you can see at one web site which applications are totally free or, for the subscription ones, what you get for their free limited option.  

Here’s the front page:
http://www.mind-mapping.org/web-based-mindmappers/

The pages show which ones are absolutely free, the costs and options for the subscription ones and what you can get for free at those sites, and what level of publishing, sharing and collaboration each supports.

Most importantly, there’s a visualization to show at a glance which web-based mind mapping application can import or export MindManager and FreeMind:

I’ve included some web-based outliners as well, and some diagramming and whiteboard sites, provided they support sharing or collaborations.

So now there’s no excuse.  Get out there and get mapping, get collaborating and share your maps - while it’s free!

 Vic

Quite a few months ago, Eric Blue called for a mind maps standard format.  Nothing much seemed to come out of that for a while, so I started gathering together in one place enough information to make it possible to have some form of transfer using XSLT.  I have a good collection of this information now, and will be publishing that soon.  As Douglas Adams said “I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they go flying by.”

Now Eric has another initiative, which supports the general spirit of his original movement: A multi-product mind map viewer that will take a mind map in one format and, via a FreeMind conversion, make it possible to embed it in a web page.  It can produce a Flash or Java mind map from one that you submit.  For now it can accept only a MindManager 5, 6 or 7 (.mmap) file, but Eric’s intention is to accommodate others.

Of course, this produces results that are read only, but anything that makes mind maps more accessible is a good thing in my book.

You can try out the viewer here: http://eric-blue.com/projects/mindmapviewer/

Good move Eric!

Vic

The results of Chuck Frey’s latest mind mapping survey are out.  This one was about web-based mind mapping applications.  It was aimed at learning how the mind mapping community uses them and looking at how we view their advantages, disadvantages and potential. 

This is a formative stage of mind mapping software development, and this collation of views will undoubtedly be useful to the software publishers, and help users’ voices be heard.

Here’s where to go to learn more, and download your own copy:
http://mindmapping.typepad.com/the_mind_mapping_software/2007/11/results-of-my-s.html

 Vic

Users of MindMeister (well, Premium users, anyway) now have the option to take their mind maps offline:
http://www.mindmeister.com/services/tools/offline

This long-anticipated addition to web-based applications’ capabilities will surely have to be emulated by the other web-based mind mapping software developers. 

Then, can the publishers of all the desktop mind mapping software packages afford to be left behind?

Vic

I’m adding this one to Mind-mapping.org as part of this weekend’s update, but I want to put the word out now:

Mappio - it’s at mappio.com - will take a lightly indented text file and make a mind map from it.  The text must be formatted according to some simple guidelines and the indents show structure. 

For now, the maps are limited in many ways, but it is a very interesting approach to making mind maps.  Allowing pictures and hyperlinked nodes at this early stage is cool.  There’s no privacy for maps at present, but you need to be logged in as the maker to edit the text.

Here’s a mind map of mind-mapping.org that I made (click to go to the original at Mappio):

Mind-mapping.org++ * http://www.mind-mapping.org
    Master list of Mind   http://www.mind-mapping.org,
    mapping software { Shape: RoundRect }
        Includes concept mapping
        Has other information,
        organizers
             But they must include,
             a graphical element
        Control what you see with,
        'Refine software list'
        All currently live software http://www.mind-mapping.org/full-list.php
        All historical software http://www.mind-mapping.org/full-list-historical.php
    Articles on mapping http://www.mind-mapping.org/article_main.php { Shape: RoundRect }
        Creativity http://www.mind-mapping.org/mindmapping-and-creativity/
        Mindmapping and you http://www.mind-mapping.org/mindmapping-and-you/
        Mindmapping before writing http://www.mind-mapping.org/mindmapping-before-writing/
        Business and planning
        Project management http://www.mind-mapping.org/mindmapping-for-business-and-planning/
        Learning, study, memory http://www.mind-mapping.org/mindmapping-learning-study-memory/
        Outlining
        Information Management
        Seminal papers in  http://www.mind-mapping.org/seminal-papers-in-information-mapping/,
        concept mapping
    Razor-sharp mind,
    mapping search { Shape: RoundRect }
        Search box http://www.mind-mapping.org/article_main.php
        List of sites it draws on http://www.mind-mapping.org/mm_sites.php
    Mind mapping news at the blog http://www.mind-mapping.org/blog/  { Shape: RoundRect }
---

This weekend’s update to Mind-mapping.org brings a lively and colourful new mind-mapping product, Cayra; VORG Express, a free information manager; and a development platform for throw-away web applications that revolves around a MindManager mind map.

Cayra - This is an attractive program, free for now, that produces colourful maps that don’t have to represent a pure hiearchy.  It can therefore produce a limited form of concept map as well as mind maps.

VORG Express - VE is a free information manager that also has diagramming capabilities.  It has a big brother, VORG Team, which costs US$48 a year per user.  There are other products in the family that are aimed at vertical markets: Finance and medical.  

SnapXT - Finally, there’s SnapXT that uses a MindManager mind map to build collaborative web applications.  The key to its original approach to application development is that the connection between the mind map and the application is “live” - changes to the map can be reflected in the on-line application. 

 Vic