Download of the day: FreeMind

Today download of the day is called FreeMind which is a free mind mapping software which is written in Java.

FreeMind is a premier free mind-mapping software written in Java. The recent development has hopefully turned it into high productivity tool. We are proud that the operation and navigation of FreeMind is faster than that of MindManager because of one-click “fold / unfold” and “follow link” operations.
So you want to write a completely new metaphysics? Why don’t you use FreeMind? You have a tool at hand that remarkably resembles the tray slips of Robert Pirsig, described in his sequel to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance called Lila. Do you want to refactor your essays in a similar way you would refactor software? Or do you want to keep personal knowledge base, which is easy to manage? Why don’t you try FreeMind? Do you want to prioritize, know where you are, where you’ve been and where you are heading, as Stephen Covey would advise you? Have you tried FreeMind to keep track of all the things that are needed for that?

I really like this piece of software as it follows how your brain thinking process. Here I want to quote Peter Russuell on advantages of mind maps to illustrate this point:

Mind maps work the way the brain works — which is not in nice neat lines.
Memory is naturally associative, not linear. Any idea probably has thousands of links in your mind. Mind maps allow associations and links to be recorded and reinforced.
The mind remembers key words and images, not sentences — try recalling just one sentence from memory! Mind maps use just key words and key images, allowing a lot more information to be put on a page.
Because mind maps are more visual and depict associations between key words, they are much easier to recall than linear notes. (For example, although you may not have studied it in depth, see how much of the Home Mind Map of this site you can recall in your mind’s eye.)
Starting from the center of the page rather than top-left corner allows you to work out in all directions.
The organization of a mind map reflects the way your own brain organizes ideas.

In FreeMind, you can visualize the linkages between important keywords by linking them as a tree. By using this program, the information will become more clear for your brain and help you memorize and increase creativities.
lifehack.org rating: 5/5

Download FreeMind

FreeMind requires Java 1.4 or higher.