Mind map software, showing: Current only (historical excluded); in the categories: All; runs on: All operating systems; FOUND: 249 entries from a total of 307
Software for mindmapping and information organization

Software for mindmapping and
information organisation

Vic's compendium of software that supports knowledge management and information organisation in graphical form. Includes mind mappers, concept mappers, outliners, hierarchical organisers, KM support and knowledge browsers, 2D and 3D.More...










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"Current": available and supported. "Historical": Not supported; may be defunct (not available) or available on software download sites.

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From:  John Boyd-Rainey   Product:  i2Brain    Added:  2007-05-25
118
Screenshot mind mapping software i2Brain     Screenshot mind mapping software i2Brain     Screenshot mind mapping software i2Brain    
What they say:  " You can use it for MindMapping(r) but your information-trees aren't limited to being flat (2 dimensional).
i2Brain allows you to see your information from different view-points.
It's as flexible as a database, but it uses graphics to visualize your information and its connections.
You get away from lists or trees of information. i2Brain shows you what is in your head - a network of information."
Observations:  There are some useful alternative ways of showing diagrams - not limited to mind maps. I can't see anything to justify the claim that 'your information-trees aren't limited to being flat (2 dimensional)', though. Demo version is crippled.
Where:  http://www.i2brain.com/
OS: Linux, Mac, Windows
Price:  GBP35
Categories: diagramming, mind maps
 
From:  Joseph Cooney / thoughtex.net   Product:  Thoughtex    Added:  2007-03-28
119
Screenshot mind mapping software Thoughtex     Screenshot mind mapping software Thoughtex     Screenshot mind mapping software Thoughtex    
What they say:  " Simple software to capture ideas for Windows Vista and XP.
A free mind mapping tool written in Windows Presentation Foundation and deployed via ClickOnce. The main goal of the app was to create something useful that almost anyone could be comfortable with. Since this is 2007 and beta is the new black it _IS_ a beta release. Also some fairly obvious features like undo, redo, printing and re-parenting nodes have not been included for this release, but I'll release updates that will include these features as they are ready."
Observations:  This is a Windows Presentation Format mind mapping-style application in early Beta (as at March 2007). Very easy to add images to a map - one per node. A node can have a heap of text.
Where:  http://thoughtex.net
OS: Windows
Price:  Free
Categories: mind maps
 
From:  Kenneth Kufluk   Product:  js-mindmap    Added:  2008-11-08
120
Screenshot mind mapping software js-mindmap    
What they say:  " An HTML/JavaScript fully-accessible mindmap.

Explore a series of nodes generated on the fly from an HTML list in a force-directed layout. Useful for alternative ways to present sitemaps or navigation structures.

Project still in development."
Observations:  It's version is 0.1, so this has a way to go!
Where:  http://code.google.com/p/js-mindmap/
OS: browser based
Price:  Free (MIT license)
Categories: mind maps
 
Articles
Writing, come what may

There's only a brief mention of mindmapping here, but it's obviously important to the author. Anyway, to me it's a great article on getting moving with writing. I hope you find it so, too.   [Vic]

Project estimating – Mindmaps are a tool in the armory

The key to getting something useful out of this article is to read the author’s title carefully. Mind mapping simplifies the process of project estimating -- it doesn’t simplify the actual task-time estimation. Every project manger knows that the work of a project must be broken into separate and manageable units for estimating. To look at a project and think “That’s about a week’s effort” is a recipe for frustration and missed targets. Mindmaps, spider diagrams and bubble charts are excellent for the first phase of breaking a project into manageable parts. For me mindmaps, as strictly defined by Buzan’s rules, are less suitable than spider diagrams for this type of analysis, but we can assume that Dr. Mariaraj is not being too strict in his use of the term below. [Vic]

Tony Buzan has defined these "rules" for Mind Mapping:

I believe these rules are well worth following if you use mindmaps for learning. They are very hard to follow completely and rigidly - and its not worth trying I have found - if you use mindmaps in adult life, in your work or projects.

Who invented mind mapping

This comes up from time to time - usually in the form of "Buzan didn't invent mind mapping".

Underlying theory of Concept Maps

Here are links to important scholarly papers by Joseph D. Novak and Alberto J. Cañas on Concept Maps, their theory and construction.


The opinions are Vic's but material in quotes that follows "What they say" is quoted from the vendors' web sites. Product names used in this web site are for identification purposes only. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.  If you come across any software that isn't here but you think should be, please let me know: Vic at the above domain. If you have questions about mind mapping, concept mapping or outlining, you can let me know and I'll give it my best shot.