Latest additions to mindmapping software

I fell behind with getting new information mapping tools that I knew of into mind-mapping.org, so here’s the catch-up: Six new tools, and very interesting ones they are. 

This week’s entries are heavy on the development side.  The first four are to help developers build software that produces information maps, then one that helps web publishers turn mind maps into websites, and finally one that lets you present the pros and cons of a discussion visually.

Graph Gear – This provides Javascript and Flash scripts to help developers build these force-directed graphs – you know, the kind that wobble as you drag a node around.

JSViz – Javascript code to build network graphs.  You’ve probably seen these used to map out a website. I had one for mind-mapping.org once . . . now where did I put it . . .

JGraph -A Java library that can produce a most flexible series of diagram types.  There is an open source version and there are commercial products for developers who have to earn a living.

        

I usuually pick just one thumbnail to represent a product’s style.  This one has so many possibilities that a mere three hardly begins to show the range. 

MxGraph – A Javascript library to help developers make browser-based diagrams.

TransLucid – This is a content management system (CMS) with a twist: It takes you from mindmaps to websites, automatically.  It has open source and commercial versions.

Argunet – Collaborative debate and visual argument presentation and analysis.

And finally, a note about terms: I’ve been using web-based as a description for many months now for products that are mostly accessed on the web, rather than being desktop products.  Some if the new programs above are libraries that developers can use to build their own products, and they build on web-browsers’ capabilities instead of including all the functionality in the mapping software itself.  When you see the description browser-based on mind-mapping.org, you’ll know that this is not just another term for web-based. Instead it means a product implemented in a web-browser.  The value of such products is that they are Operating System (OS) independent.

I believe that web-based software makers are going to have to produce ways of running those locally in a browser eventually, so this distinction will probably disappear eventually.

Vic

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