Making a Mind Map
Freemind is a Java-language free mind map software for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux systems using tiny memory. The minimalist style shows its positioning on the rich inner rather than fancy graphics. And it has quite enhanced features and functionalities which is more detailed than web-based applications.
- Mindjet (Windows/Mac/iOS). Mindjet is more than just mind mapping software—it’s a total suite of applications and tools designed to help you and the people you work with brainstorm, stay on.
- Mind mapping helps you organize your thoughts, remember information and generate new ideas. We've created a beautiful, intuitive app, so you can mind map wherever you are and whenever you want.
- Download your free copy of the premier mind mapping tool for Windows or Mac. Free, fully-functional & easy to use. Select your platform, fill the form, and get ready for the journey.
First off, how easy is it to make a mind map, because let’s face it if you can't use the software easily than what’s the point, right?
We found that all three Mac mind mapping software tools were fairly easy to work with because they all seem to share Mac OS best practices. Since we are comfortable with other Mac OS software, these tools made us feel right at home.
Just like with any software, it takes a few tries to figure out the interface, and what is what, but after we built out a few branches of the mind map, we were up and running in all three tools. With MindManager, it took a little while longer to get our map going, whereas MindView and Novamind were more intuitive. We loved the keyboard shortcuts in all three tools, they really speed things up. In contrast, working with online tools was a very different experience, which was expected since with most online tools, it takes a while to find your bearings.
Some Mac mind mapping software tools can be overloaded with features, making their interface seem overwhelming. MindView, however, has solved this problem with a simplified user interface that was packed full of useful features, well organized in a logical and customizable menu structure.
Free Mind Map Tool For Mac
In the end, making a mind map in Novamind and MindView was pretty similar, kind of like comparing Ford vs. Chevy. If you like more features and options in your interface, however, MindManager is the choice for you. If you like a simplified user interface, then go with MindView.
But we didn’t stop there...
Let's dig into the features a little deeper. Being able to attach files is very useful in Mac mind mapping software. When attaching files, MindView, MindManager and Novamind were similar and intuitive, but viewing the attachments was what stood out for us. MindView has a quick-click view option that is activated by simply hovering the branch attachment icon and clicking your attachment. MindManager, however, forced us to first open the Inspector, find the attachment and then double-click to view it. A few too many clicks in our opinion… Don’t worry, it wasn’t too difficult to figure out, but we preferred the ease of use in MindView above the other three Mac mind mapping software tools.
Free Mind Map Tool For Mac
I hope we still have your attention, because here comes the section that all you Mind Mapping die-hards have been waiting for. Not to worry though, we will keep it brief!
In all three applications, you can add images and colors to your mind map, change line colors, branch colors, branch shapes, line thickness, and branch order. Also, all three Mac mind mapping software tools enable you to easily add images, icons, and colors to the branches at any level, not just the main branches, which we found very helpful.
So far, we have focused only on mind maps, but not all of us think non-linearly as in a mind map. Some may want to overview data in a linear layout like an outline. And this brings us to the different ways you can communicate data. MindView made it very easy to swap back and forth between the various views and had the most options, whereas MindManager and Novamind only offered a mind map and outline view. If you’re wondering about a Gantt or timeline view, sit tight, we discuss these two views later.
Since there were plenty of ways to customize the maps in all three Mac mind mapping software programs, and all three were basically the same, let's move on to something more interesting… something that really separated the pack… MS Office integration.
If you are looking for a free mind mapping tool that works across multiple platforms and can help you make password protected mind maps to keep important information secure from prying eyes, then you should try Freeplane.
Open Source Mind Mapping Software for Windows, BSD, Mac and Linux
Freeplane is an open source, free mind mapping tool that is available for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac OS, Linux distributions and BSD. Furthermore, there is also a portable version of this app for Windows, which can be run from a USB drive.
Create Vibrant Mind Maps
You can get started with this app by editing the given sample mind map. You can use this sample mind map to test out the various features of this mind mapping tool, as starting from scratch initially can be a bit overwhelming due to the plethora of features that Freeplane offers.
Using this app you can create anything from the most rudimentary to advanced mind maps, with elaborate and interconnected designs. Among the various useful mind mapping options, Freeplane provides the utility to perform spell checks, the ability to edit the code of your mind maps, filters, time stamps for mind maps and more.
Many of the aforementioned are features that you usually don’t find in mind mapping apps, which makes Freeplane quite useful, especially for advanced users looking to build elaborate mind maps for professional purposes like websites and corporate presentations.
Other than the wide range of mind mapping features that this app offers, you also get the utility to export mind maps to XML, XLS, HTML and JPG formats; which means that you can easily add your mind maps to official documents, blog posts and presentations (e.g. as a JPG image).
Encrypt and Password Protect Mind Maps
Freeplane can be used to create secure, encrypted and password protected mind maps. You can create such a mind map by going to New Protected Map, via the File menu and enter a password to secure your map. This feature can be quite handy for individuals who require making mind maps with confidential corporate information.
Freeplane can be downloaded for various operating systems via the SourceForge link given below, including:
- Windows
- Mac OS X
- Linux /Solaris/BSD
Go to Download Freeplane