Structuring projects with XMind
Mindful Mapper

© rgbspace, Fotolia
Mind mapping programs let you visualize projects and plans on your PC. If you want to work more efficiently, you'll want to keep the free XMind for Linux in mind.
The free XMind mind mapper lets you develop your plans professionally, efficiently, and quickly on your PC. The software scope leaves very little to be desired.
A structured approach is regarded as essential to success today. If you fail to "collect your thoughts," you are in danger of forgetting or overlooking some critical aspect in a scenario. The kind of environment you work in makes very little difference: Preparing and following up on calls and designing business models in a corporate environment need just as much planning as decorating your apartment or setting up a home network.
To avoid losing track of complex projects and tasks, more conservative characters will tend to go for yellow sticky notes. But mind mapping programs give you a far more professional approach to managing collections of ideas. Although programs of this kind can be expensive on proprietary operating systems, XMind [1] for Linux offers an impressive range of features and a free license and tops the bill with a well thought out interface and simple controls.
Installation and System Requirements
To be able to work efficiently with XMind, your PC needs at least 256MB of RAM, a CPU of at least 800MHz, and 100MB of free disc space. The use of the Eclipse framework Java developer environment necessitates these relatively high system requirements; this also explains why you need Java on your machine.
Mind mapper is pretty choosey about its flavor of Java and will not work with free Java implementations; instead, it runs only on the original virtual machine by Sun Microsystems. This said, most distributions have the original Java application in their repositories. If in doubt, grab the software directly from the Sun page [2].
The free variant of XMind, as well as a commercial version called XMind Pro, is available from the project homepage. Before you can download the program, though, you need to register [3]. It is a good idea to use the prebuilt packages for Debian and Ubuntu (both 32- and 64-bit versions are available).
In our lab, the 32-bit version ran without any trouble on a number of derivatives, such as Linux Mint. The developers offer a ZIP archive with a portable version on the download page for all other distributions.
Using XMind
After completing the installation, you should see an entry for XMind in your Gnome Applications | Office menu. On Xfce, the routine installs a launcher in the Applications | Office menu.
Clicking the entry gets the Java program rolling, but don't hold your breath. After a couple of seconds you get to see the program window, a large workspace, and, depending on your settings, one or two preference dialogs on the right border. A menu and a button bar at the top of the program window complete the settings and control widgets.
Thanks to the clear-cut tab structure, using the program is an intuitive process, even if your project is complex. Immediately, you can start structuring the workspace visually, which can contain multiple worksheets in large-scale projects. Starting with main nodes, you can establish hierarchies quickly and simply in various ways with the use of logically organized icons. If you do not need a classical mind map, you can use one of a selection of alternative structures. XMind is suitable for designing legacy organizational charts, trees, or the less commonly used fishbone diagrams.
XMind has a plethora of formatting and design options that help you visualize hierarchies, including the importance of individual nodes and their interdependencies. Besides various node shapes, such as ellipses, rhombuses, or simple rectangles, the program also supports color highlighting and lets you change the text size, aspect, style, and color (Figure 1). A selection of design options for connecting arrows and lines between nodes and for tagging with various symbols round off the content presentation options. If you like, you can even add a background image to your mind map.

The program initially stores the results of your work in a proprietary .Xmind format. To use your mind maps in various third-party applications, XMind optionally lets you generate various image formats from your worksheets. On top of this, the application lets you convert structograms into text or HTML format. The latter is a big advantage if you are planning to present a large-scale project in a web browser as a separate site. XMind uses filters that let you import third-party mind map formats, such as FreeMind and MindManager, although the filters are only for the latest versions of these two programs.
Just in case you do experience trouble using the program, XMind has a nicely illustrated help function. The XMind Help option, located under the Help menu, takes you to the help function, opening a new window that contains a glossary of keywords. The keywords and matching explanations are linked; clicking a search key takes you straight to the explanation (Figure 2).

The miniature Web browser included with XMind is not just used to render help pages but also to check the integrity of site maps after converting to HTML format. The browser is also a useful collaboration tool. After creating a free shared account with the manufacturer, XMind Ltd., clicking Invite Friends to XMind.net under the Help menu of the application lets you collaborate with other subscribers on any mind maps you publish. To upload a mind map, select Publish in the File menu, or click the link in the buttonbar. This great feature enables groups to work across the miles.
Conclusions
XMind is a strong contender in the sparsely populated mind mapping field. The software is attractive, with its typical Eclipse look and feel, simple controls, and huge functional scope.
Amazingly, this first version of XMind should outperform many commercial programs. Besides freehand mind mapping, the program lets you create tree diagrams, organizational charts, and many variants of them. Its excellent design options and mature import and export filters allow for universal use of the mind maps you create. To top it off, the software offers collaborative functions that give multiple users the ability to cooperate on mind maps.
Infos
- XMind: http://www.xmind.net
- Sun Java download: http://java.com/en/download/index.jsp
- XMind download: http://www.xmind.net/downloads/
Buy Linux Magazine
Direct Download
Read full article as PDF:
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
MNT Seeks Financial Backing for New Seven-Inch Linux Laptop
MNT Pocket Reform is a tiny laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, reusable, and ships with Debian Linux.
-
Ubuntu Flatpak Remix Adds Flatpak Support Preinstalled
If you're looking for a version of Ubuntu that includes Flatpak support out of the box, there's one clear option.
-
Gnome 44 Release Candidate Now Available
The Gnome 44 release candidate has officially arrived and adds a few changes into the mix.
-
Flathub Vying to Become the Standard Linux App Store
If the Flathub team has any say in the matter, their product will become the default tool for installing Linux apps in 2023.
-
Debian 12 to Ship with KDE Plasma 5.27
The Debian development team has shifted to the latest version of KDE for their testing branch.
-
Planet Computers Launches ARM-based Linux Desktop PCs
The firm that originally released a line of mobile keyboards has taken a different direction and has developed a new line of out-of-the-box mini Linux desktop computers.
-
Ubuntu No Longer Shipping with Flatpak
In a move that probably won’t come as a shock to many, Ubuntu and all of its official spins will no longer ship with Flatpak installed.
-
openSUSE Leap 15.5 Beta Now Available
The final version of the Leap 15 series of openSUSE is available for beta testing and offers only new software versions.
-
Linux Kernel 6.2 Released with New Hardware Support
Find out what's new in the most recent release from Linus Torvalds and the Linux kernel team.
-
Kubuntu Focus Team Releases New Mini Desktop
The team behind Kubuntu Focus has released a new NX GEN 2 mini desktop PC powered by Linux.