Simple, web-based mind mapping tools seem to be gaining in popularity lately. Earlier this week, I told you about Thinkature. Now I've just discovered another online visual mapping application: Bubbl.us. It uses several keyboard commands (Enter and Tab) to enable you to add topics and subtopics, while the mouse can be used to drag and drop individual topics and change their relationships between each other. You can store maps within the service, and access them again via a personal login. Bubbl.us is free, and its developer hopes to suppport this new service via advertising.
Applications like Thinkature and Bubbl.us are very simple, and lack many of the features of desktop-based mind mapping software. But don't underestimate them: They are only version 1.0 of what may soon become a revolution in visual mapping and collaboration. I expect these services to improve and add functionality in the near future, and they may turn out to meet the needs of some business and personal users.
Have you seen http://www.webofweb.net ?
Sure for now WoW needs SUN's Java plugin to work, but it's real collaborative compared to Bubbl.us, since access to every idea of its maps are under flexible editable security configurations, not maps per account as Bubbl.us
And a Flash client is under development, to free the users from downloading extra Java plugins if they don't like.
Posted by: Compl | January 29, 2007 at 11:11 AM
In thinkature, the connection keeps breaking every 15 seconds or so. In bubbl.us, there is no intuitive controll of the elements. A good idea badly executed. I hope they will not use my e-mail to send me unwanted stuff.
Posted by: trial manager | February 06, 2007 at 06:39 AM
We started private beta of a new online mind mapping tool today. It is purly based on HTML/JS/Ajax and has full collaboration support. You can take a sneak preview on the start page where you can play around with the map. Also please contact me or subscribe to the newsletter if you are interested in private beta.
http://www.mindmeister.com
Posted by: Till Vollmer | February 07, 2007 at 02:36 PM
Geez, more of these things than you can shake a stick at!
I agree with Compl's comment that bubbl.us has unintuitive features and actions, but then I consider MindManager to be very intuitive!
I also tried out WoW - WebofWeb.net, and while it shows promise, it wouldn't let me log in with the registration info they'd just sent me, so it doesn't look ready for prime time to me.
Posted by: pbarnes7 | March 06, 2007 at 12:26 PM