So I took the plunge and bought XMind. It is on sale at Bits for $99 -- a savings of $50. This is the first mind mapping/charting program I've bought since Inspiration, which I don't use anymore. Xmind is much more powerful, though it's outline view is just that, a view and not an editable outline.

I've been using Xmind with the most annoying of tasks -- the self-performance-evaluation. So for I am impressed, and I'm glad I spent the money... although I figure now that I've plunked down my money, it will show up on Give-Away-of-the-Day in the next week or two.

Steve Z.

Some users are reporting very sluggish operation... is that the case?

(Since it is based on an open data format, I'm considering using Microsoft Sync framework to create live-sync with my pet project SQLNotes. A powerful mindmap presentation would be an excellent compliment to it.)

Pierre Paul Landry wrote:

Some users are reporting very sluggish operation... is that the case?

I haven't created any large maps as yet, so I don't know what might happen then, but so far the performance has been acceptable to me. Xmind is Java-based, so I don't think it will ever be considered fast. I'll keep you informed as I use it more.

Steve Z.

Pierre Paul Landry wrote:

(Since it is
based on an open data format, I'm considering using Microsoft Sync framework to
create live-sync with my pet project SQLNotes. A powerful mindmap presentation
would be an excellent compliment to it.)

Pierre I've been very impressed by your ideas for additional views of the data within SQL Notes (Calendar, Card view, Mindmap, etc). It confirms the expandability of software with a powerful underlying infrastructure. I have still not integrated SQL Notes in my workflow, but it is a serious contender for a variety of tasks.

Re Xmind, I can't judge the ease of compatibility with SQL Notes, but I would definitely suggest that you either choose MindManager (for reasons of popularity and available add-ons) or FreeMind (as an open source software). Other visual tools you might want to consider linking to are GanttProject, Cmap Tools. I've seen XML transformations being used to share data among some of these applications in the past. Here's a very impressive XML based timeline I came across: http://simile.mit.edu/timeline/

However, the most powerful --and perhaps more easy to implement- way to present data held in SQL Notes is something that I've seen no mention of (or perhaps I've just missed it, as it seems all too obvious): through PHP/SQL dynamic websites. As far as I know, no CMS (Content Management System) of the hundreds available based on PHP/SQL provides an offline desktop application to edit the content. But what if the SQL Notes' database file format was directly compatible with such a system? One could simply edit the content in SQL Notes and then FTP the resulting database to the website (or perhaps sync it somehow, so as to download comments posted online).

I don't know how this fits your vision, but it is the one application I've been really eager to use for a long time.

In any case, you be the judge; all the best for the furture of SQL Notes, or whatever you decide to call it ;-)

alx

One reason I was looking at XMind was that it seems to support many to many relationships (i.e. multiple parents) as does SQLNotes. The other reason is that is supports many different map types. As for MindManager, it seems expensive, doesn't it ?

Does anyone know if FreeMind supports multiple parents ?
Does FreeMind have as many map types as XMind ?

Pierre Paul Landry wrote:

Does anyone know if FreeMind supports multiple parents ?
Does FreeMind have as
many map types as XMind ?

I do not believe FreeMind supports multiple parents, and as far as I am aware FM supports only one type of map. While I admire FreeMind, it doesn't compare to XMind in terms of functions.

Steve Z.

True on both counts. Freemind is strictly a mindmap implementation program, and mindmaps only have one parent per child. To complement for this, they have associations among items in different areas of the map, i.e. 'cousins'. As far as I know in Freemind such items can't be identical, i.e. clones of each other, in which case they would in fact have multiple parents.

The most versatile program I can think of in these terms is Personal Brain. Inspiration is another popular program that supports concept maps as well (along with Cmap Tools which was already suggested) that have no such limitations.

The main reason for suggesting that you don't focus on Xmind is popularity and accessibility. MindManager is certainly expensive but it's also the most popular, judging by the available third party add-ins. Freemind is completely free, so no one would mind installing it if the don't have it. Xmind is a recent entry in a market full of lesser known contenders. See the links at left in http://mindmapping.typepad.com/ to get an idea of what I am talking about.

Pierre Paul Landry wrote:

>Does anyone know if FreeMind supports multiple parents ?
>Does FreeMind have as many map types as XMind ?

Stephen Zeoli wrote:

I do not believe
FreeMind supports multiple parents, and as far as I am aware FM supports only one type
of map. While I admire FreeMind, it doesn't compare to XMind in terms of functions.

Cheers
alx

Regading XMind, one of the map styles I find especially intriguing is the "2D Chart." Essentially it turns your map or section of the map into a table. I haven't seen this on other mind mappers, although I haven't investigated them too heavily. The 2D chart is a wonderful way to view data after you've captured it. The program goes further. You can add labels to each item... So, for instance, you might put together a project plan broken down into stages and tasks within those stages. You can then label the project tasks by who is assigned to them. When you go to 2D mode, the table adds columns representing the labels, so you would be able to see tasks by stage and by who is assigned to do them in the table. Very handy. Do other mind mappers do this kind of "map?"

Steve Z.

I commented on this feature here http://www.outlinersoftware.com/messages/viewm/3290 regretting the fact that each mind map program seems to offer an extra way of looking at your data, but none offers all the posssible ways. The 2D chart for me is quite similar to the table view in i2brain, and similarly useful for project management, much as the timeline in OpenMind which, however, has no table view etc etc etc.

alx


Stephen Zeoli wrote:

Regading XMind, one of the map styles I find especially intriguing is the "2D Chart."
Essentially it turns your map or section of the map into a table. I haven't seen this on
other mind mappers, although I haven't investigated them too heavily. The 2D chart is
a wonderful way to view data after you've captured it. The program goes further. You
can add labels to each item... So, for instance, you might put together a project plan
broken down into stages and tasks within those stages. You can then label the project
tasks by who is assigned to them. When you go to 2D mode, the table adds columns
representing the labels, so you would be able to see tasks by stage and by who is
assigned to do them in the table. Very handy. Do other mind mappers do this kind of
"map?"

For the programmers among us (I imagine Dominik for one already knows it) I just saw that Xmind is an Eclipse application: http://www.eclipse.org/community/rcpcp.php

alx

Seem like one of the better mindmapping programs. I wonder a bit about its longevity, as it recently dropped its price about $100.

Stephen Zeoli wrote:

So I took the plunge and bought XMind. It is on sale at Bits for $99 -- a savings of $50.
This is the first mind mapping/charting program I've bought since Inspiration,
which I don't use anymore. Xmind is much more powerful, though it's outline view is
just that, a view and not an editable outline.

I've been using Xmind with the most
annoying of tasks -- the self-performance-evaluation. So for I am impressed, and I'm
glad I spent the money... although I figure now that I've plunked down my money, it will
show up on Give-Away-of-the-Day in the next week or two.

Steve Z.

Stephen Z.,

You'll be pleased to know that Xmind's recent update supports better exchange of files with Mind Manager:
http://mindmapping.typepad.com/the_mind_mapping_software/2008/04/xmind-2008-v23.html

Here's a reason why this could be useful: web publishing and editing of mind maps, a free (beta) service that can load/save Mind Manager files (also Freemind). It is available here:
http://www.mind42.com/

I tried it out and I admit I found it very powerful, fast and easy to use. I hope it gets out of beta soon so I can use it professionally.

alx