Mac-based mind and concept mapping

[UPDATED 10 February 2013]

Often, you’ll see posts about mind mapping software for Macs.  Sometimes the author will mention surprise at how many there are.  I came across an example at Mike’s Silver Mac blog and thought it would be useful to pull together a master list, and here it is:

Astah — http://astah.net/
CMAP — http://cmap.ihmc.us/    concept maps
Compendium  —  http://compendium.open.ac.uk/institute/download/download.htm    concept maps
ConceptDraw  —  http://www.conceptdraw.com/en/products/mindmap/main.php
Conception  —  http://www.parlog.com/en/conception.html    concept maps
Consideo  iModeller —  http://www.imodeler.net/CONSIDEO_iMODELER_%28Engl%29/iMODELER.html
Conzilla  —  http://www.conzilla.org/wiki/Overview/Main    concept maps
Curio  —  http://www.zengobi.com/products/curio/
DeepaMehta  —  http://www.deepamehta.de/
Flying Logic  —  http://flyinglogic.com/
FreeMind  —  http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
Freeplane — http://freeplane.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
GraphViz  —  http://www.graphviz.org/   concept maps
i2Brain  —  http://www.i2brain.com/
iMindMap — http://www.thinkbuzan.com/uk/
Incubator  —  http://www.mindcad.com/
Inspiration & Kidspiration  —  http://www.inspiration.com/
Life Map  —  http://www2.ucsc.edu/mlrg/mlrgtools.html    concept maps
MindManager  —  http://www.mindjet.com/
MindNode  —  http://www.mindnode.com/
MindView — http://www.matchware.com/en/products/mindview/default.htm
MyMind  —  http://www.sebastian-krauss.de/software/
MyThoughts — http://www.mythoughtsformac.com/
Novamind  —  http://www.novamind.com/
PersonalBrain  —  http://www.thebrain.com/
Pimki  —  http://pimki.rubyforge.org/    (Personal wiki with a Mind Map feature)
Prefuse  —  http://prefuse.org/
Protege–OWL  —  http://protege.stanford.edu/overview/protege-owl.html
Semantica  —  http://www.semanticresearch.com/solutions/products
Shared space  —  http://www.shared-space.net/
Tinderbox  —  http://www.eastgate.com/Tinderbox/
VUE  —  http://vue.uit.tufts.edu/index.cfm    concept maps
VYM  —  http://www.insilmaril.de/vym/
Xebece  —  http://freshmeat.net/projects/xebece/
Xmind  —  http://www.xmind.org/

You can find more with examples about the popular ones at Top Picks – this link is for Mac-only software – but the menu at the top or categories box allows other selections.

For the most comprehensive collection, see the main site with screenshots and other details, by selecting Mac and Mac (OS9) from the “Refine software list” tab at top right.

Oh, and don’t forget all the browser-based mind mapping and concept mapping web services.  In principle, all of these should be runnable on a Mac, but I have no information on how Safari-friendly they are.  If any Mac users would care to share their experience running these, please comment here.  Four pages giving all the details for web-based ones are here: http://www.informationtamers.com/mind-mapping/web-based-mindmappers/

Vic

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