Friday, May 13, 2005

CMap Tools

Have I mentioned that I recently subscribed to a couple of tag-based RSS feeds from del.icio.us?  Right, I know...nothing shocking about it.  With the semester winding down (just a bit of grading still to do), I haven't explored the bookmarks as closely as I would like, but I did run across a prize the other day through the feed for "infographics." CMap Tools, a free, cross-platform mapping application, lets users draw maps better than any other software I've tried.

The CmapTools program empowers users to construct, navigate, share and criticize knowledge models represented as concept maps. It allows users to, among many other features, construct their Cmaps in their personal computer, share them on servers (CmapServers) anywhere on the Internet, link their Cmaps to other Cmaps on servers, automatically create web pages of their concept maps on servers, edit their maps synchronously (at the same time) with other users on the Internet, and search the web for information relevant to a concept map.

It's simple.  Plus, it allows the easy placement of background images in nodes, so it could work to develop visual maps.  I like it, too, because it has some sharp auto-align tools; you can select two or three nodes and space them out relative to each other, moving them collectively together/apart.  What else?  It appears to have server function, but I haven't tried it yet.  The html export basically produces an html page referencing a jpeg file.  But by setting up a server account, it looks like it would be possible to collaborate on mapping project.   The only feature I'd improve is the automatic and unavoidable link labels.  The labels are removable, but they leave a gap in the line. 

I'd include a map, but I'm busy watching the Detroit get roughed up by Indiana.  Dang it! Sample's in extended entry, now that the game's through.

Posted by Derek Mueller at May 13, 2005 8:40 PM to Distances