XMind goes open source

XMind is the first good open-source mind mapping solution. It is good that we had FreeMind but it was lacking too much features. Open-source XMind have about 80% of most useful features of MindManager which I consider the best mind mapping software. And several things in XMind are done in more smart way that in MindManager.

But XMind is OPEN SOURCE! That's cool. It means that lacking features can be easily added there by the community. And being open-source, XMind will conquer the world. It has much more perspective than MindManager.

But I don't understand, how you are licensing XMind Pro? It is a derivative work from an open-source XMind so it must be open-source also. How you can keep some of features proprientary?

You've downloaded it? Lucky! All I get is a page saying I need to sign up, and a signup page that just spins "wait" cursors at me and never DOES anything.

Presumably the free release is an attempt to get people to like Xmind so much they upgrade to Pro. I'd suggest the first step is to make it EASY to get the damned thing: perhaps when you click the Download button, it should actually DOWNLOAD, rather than making me mess about with registration.

But... it's open source now, right. So: anybody got a mirror?

I've downloaded both PC and Mac versions - but can't get the app to run under 10.4. It searches for fonts and then completely freezes up. Any ideas to solve this problem?

@ShuManFu
I know where you're coming from but if you want more info and demos there's a link on their website to a group of youtube videos here:
http://www.xmind.net/demos/
I got a free copy of Concept Draw's MindMap Pro 5.5 with a magazine subscription to MacFormat out of the UK, killer Mac Mag BTW and so is iCreate. The catch is that it's not the current version but that's cool since the only out of pocket for me was the mag subscription which is expensive but worth it. They do offer a paid upgrade path from the free one if I was to take advantage of it.
Off topic if you want some pretty good free iPhone ringtones iCreate has quite a few good ones online!
http://www.icreatemagazine.com/iphone_ringtones.html

I use mind mapping frequently enough that it's been worth spending the money for a good app. I'm using mindjet's mindmanager, and so far it's my favorite.

ShuManFu you probably haven't had much of a need for this type of app before but they are almost essential for any kind of system design, model design, project design etc etc. They also help you to visualise organisation and help you to think about the way things are related to one another, which are often not rigid hierarchical structures like an organisational chart for instance (nature doesn't work that way!). Hope this helps.

Microsoft has Visio on the PC so I've been looking for a decent alternative on the Mac.

Open source is where its at. Smart move. Nice article

I dont fully understand these "mind mapping" applications. Maybe i'm oldschool and find trying to use anything more a pen an a peice of paper a hinderance in allowing me to scribble my thoughts.

Maybe I just need enlightnment. Can someone show me how this stuff makes my life so much better?

Too bad, I liked Xmind. But they moved most of the features I rely on to the Pro version, so it's time to move on. Pro subscriptions are time-limited, and the software stops working after the expiration date.

I'm not willing to bet my data that Xmind will still be around in a year or two in this crowded market.

Is it better than the free version of Mindmap Pro (V5)?