# Recommend me a mind mapping tool (preferably free) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 28, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-mind-mapping-tool-preferably-free/515444 "2009-10-28T14:53:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-mind-mapping-tool-preferably-free/515444/1 "2009-10-28T14:53:13Z")
I have used [bubbl.us](http://bubbl.us) before, but I’m thinking I may prefer one to be used offline (but not necessarily). I’m using a Mac, if it matters. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-mind-mapping-tool-preferably-free/515444/2 "2009-10-28T14:59:59Z")
What is a mind mapping tool? It sounds interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-mind-mapping-tool-preferably-free/515444/3 "2009-10-28T16:04:40Z")
It’s kind of hard to explain, but it’s basically a visual way to collect your thoughts on a subject while establishing relationships between these thoughts in a meaningful and intuitive way. > **[Mind map](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_mapping)** > > A mind map is a diagram used to visually organize information into a hierarchy, showing relationships among pieces of the whole. It is often created around a single concept, drawn as an image in the center of a blank page, to which associated representations of ideas such as images, words and parts of words are added. Major ideas are connected directly to the central concept, and other ideas branch out from those major ideas. > Mind maps can also be drawn by hand, either as "notes" during a lectu... ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-mind-mapping-tool-preferably-free/515444/4 "2009-10-28T16:13:17Z")
[http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Download](http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Download) Freemind’s one I’ve used before (it’s available for any platform you’re likely to have – it runs in Java. There are specific installers for Mac, Windows, and a few others). I decided that I prefer to organize information in a more structured way, and haven’t used it for a couple years, but I liked it while I used it. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-mind-mapping-tool-preferably-free/515444/5 "2009-10-28T16:40:25Z")
[XMind](http://www.xmind.net/) now has a free and pro version, and it’s a nice product. They have versions for PC, Mac, and Linux. I have it configured as an automatic install on all of the machines at the kids’ school—don’t know if anyone actually uses it, but it’s really good for diagramming thoughts. The pro version gets you some more business-oriented features such as export to Word and collaboration. Here’s the [feature chart](http://www.xmind.net/pro/features/). If you need the PDF generation, save the expense of Pro and use a virtual-printer tool like [PDF Creator](http://en.pdfforge.org/pdfcreator) to do the job. ---
**Author:** ![Iridescent\_Orb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@Iridescent\_Orb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iridescent_Orb)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-mind-mapping-tool-preferably-free/515444/6 "2009-10-29T04:35:28Z")
A second vote for Freemind. You may find it easier to use with bubbles/boxes (i.e., enclosed text) rather than the default of underlined text. Changing background colors in the boxes is useful, too. Happy mapping! 🙂