FreeMind

{{Short description|Free mind mapping application}}

{{Infobox software

| name = FreeMind

| logo = Free Mind.png

| logo size = 128px

| screenshot = Freemind-0.9x Screenshoot.png

| screenshot size = 250px

| caption =

| developer = Jörg Müller, Daniel Polansky, Petr Novak, Christian Foltin, Dimitri Polivaev, et al.

| latest_release_version = FreeMind 1.0.1 {{Cite web|url=http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Download|title = Download - FreeMind}}{{Cite web|url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/freemind/files/freemind/|title=FreeMind - Browse /Freemind at SourceForge.net}}

| latest_release_date = {{release date and age|2014|04|12|df=yes}}

| discontinued = Yes

| latest preview version = 1.1.0 Beta2

| latest preview date = {{Start date and age|2016|2|7|df=yes}}

| operating_system = Cross-platform

| platform = Java

| genre = Project management

| license = GNU GPL

| website = [http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page Freemind at sourceforge.net]

}}

FreeMind is a free mind mapping application written in Java, which is further developed by the fork Freeplane. FreeMind itself was last updated in 2014. FreeMind is licensed under the GNU General Public License Version 2.{{cite web

| title = FreeMind - Licence

| publisher = FreeMind Project

| url = http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page#License

| access-date = 2017-01-30

}} It provides extensive export capabilities. It runs on Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS via the Java Runtime Environment.{{cite web

| last = Tanaka

| first = Brian

| title = Free your mind with Freemind

| work = LinuxWorld Magazine

| publisher = Network World, Inc.

| date = 2007-10-11

| url = http://www.linuxworld.com/news/2007/101107-freemind.html

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071014002416/http://www.linuxworld.com/news/2007/101107-freemind.html

| access-date = 2009-01-31

| archive-date = 2007-10-14

}}{{cite web

|title = FreeMind

|work = LinuxLinks News

|publisher = LinuxLinks.com

|date = 2008-03-24

|url = http://www.linuxlinks.com/article/20080324041846606/FreeMind.html

|access-date = 2009-01-31

|archive-date = 2009-02-04

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090204122409/http://linuxlinks.com/article/20080324041846606/FreeMind.html

|url-status = dead

}}{{cite web

|last = Frey

|first = Chuck

|title = FreeMind open-source mind mapping app is capable, flexible

|publisher = Innovation Tools

|date = 2006-10-18

|url = http://www.innovationtools.com/Tools/SoftwareDetails.asp?a=243

|access-date = 2009-01-31

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090122050254/http://www.innovationtools.com/Tools/SoftwareDetails.asp?a=243

|archive-date = 2009-01-22

}}

As with other mind mapping software packages, FreeMind allows the user to edit a hierarchical set of ideas around a central concept. The non-linear approach assists in brainstorming new outlines and projects as ideas are added around the mind map. As a Java application, FreeMind is portable across multiple platforms and retains the same user interface, causing some amount of variation from the common interface on each platform. Mac users may notice the most difference from their traditional user interface, but a MacWorld reviewer says the software's features should still appeal to the segment of users who accept function over form.{{cite web

| last = Haddock

| first = Tim

| title = Review: FreeMind 0.8.1

| publisher = MacWorld Magazine

|date=November 2008

| url = http://www.macworld.com/article/136808/2008/11/freemind081.html

| access-date = 2009-02-01

}}

FreeMind was a finalist for Best Project in SourceForge.net's Community Choice Awards for 2008, which featured open-source software projects.{{cite web|title=SourceForge.net Names Finalists for Community Choice Awards |publisher=Fox Business Network |date=2008-07-03 |url=http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/technology/sourceforgenet-names-finalists-community-choice-awards/ |access-date=2009-01-31 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

Features

FreeMind's documentation is itself available as a FreeMind mindmap, demonstrating many of the features of the application. This is accessed from the application menu: Help > Documentation.{{cite web

| title = FreeMind - Documentation

| publisher = FreeMind Project

| url = http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Documentation

| access-date = 2017-01-30

}} A flash based export of this documentation is available online and can be viewed from flash-enabled web browsers. The link can be found in the external links section.

FreeMind's most significant features are as follows:{{cite web

| title = FreeMind - Features

| publisher = FreeMind Project

| url = http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page#Features

| access-date = 2009-02-01

}}

  • Folding branches
  • Save files as XML with an {{code|mm}} suffix
  • Export hypertext to HTML and XHTML
  • Export document to PDF and OpenDocument
  • Exports image to PNG, JPEG and SVG
  • Icons on nodes
  • Clouds around branches
  • Graphical links connecting nodes
  • Search restricted to single branches
  • Web and file hyperlinks from nodes
  • FreeMind browser/player for web in Java or Flash
  • Transform maps using XSLT

FreeMind uses the Swing GUI toolkit for Java.

FreeMind developers or developers of other projects have made plugins for various wiki and content management system software so that Freemind files can be viewed and in some cases created via the web interface.

See also

{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}

References

{{Reflist|refs=

{{Citation |title=Finalists |work=2008 Community Choice Awards |publisher=SourceForge.net

|at=Finalists:Best Project |url=http://sourceforge.net/blog/cca08-finalists/ |access-date=24 Dec 2011 }}

}}