I recently downloaded a copy of FreeMind, an open-source mind mapping program written in Java, and have started to play around with it. When I looked at it a few years ago, it still appeared to be a bit rough around the edges. But it has certainly matured significantly since then. FreeMind now boasts a very polished user interface and many nice features. Significantly, it supports numerous keyboard commands for common operations, which enables you to add content to your map and modify it quickly. The program offers a full set of topic formatting and linking options. And I also like the ability to quickly "fold" and "unfold" map branches with a single keystroke.
Watch for a full review of this much-improved program in the next several weeks on InnovationTools.com.
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Pascal Venier · 971 weeks ago
Please allow me to mention that our fellow blogger Yeksoon from Singapore has recently released a Getting Things Done Template for Freemind.
It is available for download at the following address: http://yeksoon.neusteps.com/?p=63
darryl · 971 weeks ago
1. the ability to add multiple attributes to a node, and,
2. a filter which is able to filter on attributes, icons, or text.
As it is a freeware project, there is no published timeline for this next release, but there are test versions floating around. These new aforementioned additions have really taken this tool to the next level, and, there may be other additions I'm not aware of...
Here's a link to the test version I've mentioned.
http://freemind.sourceforge.net/dimitri_testversi...
Warning: if you create attributes with this test version, you cannot open the map in the stable 0.8 release.
For my purposes, I haven't discovered a reason for switching to one of the commercial tools thusfar.
Documentation has been a bit sketchy, but here's a recent effort:
http://www.geocities.com/shaila_kishore/Freemind
Happy Freeminding,
darryl
Alan Prochaska · 832 weeks ago
Thanks.