Scapple

Scapple is great for brainstorming sessions and project planning, acting as a virtual whiteboard where you can scribble down ideas, create connections and make notes. Designed as an alternative to paper and the classic blackboard, it can be used as a freeform text editor that enables you to create simple mind maps and link ideas.

Scapple is similar to mind-mapping software, but it does not follow the exact pattern of such applications. You are not forced to start with a central idea and create branches, connect notes or use templates to organize your thoughts. Trying to keep things as simple as possible, Scapple can create a new note anywhere on the canvas and connect them only if you choose to.

A new note is created by simply double clicking in the work area. Making connections is just as easy, since you just have to drag and drop one note on top of another and a dotted line appears between the two.

The application features automatic spelling correction, special character substitutions and basic text editing options. Notes can be automatically distributed over the workspace, modified to match certain dimensions or stacked together to build a compact list.

There is a collection of design styles that you can apply to each note, while also giving you the freedom to create your own. You can modify the font, the text alignment, indentation, colors borders and the write direction.

Created idea maps can be exported to various formats for easy sharing, including PD, TXT, RTF, Outline Markup or image files.

Scapple is a good alternative to paper an pen, enabling you to write down rough ideas and create connections without sticking to a template. Unlike paper, it offers unlimited space to scribble down notes, options to correct mistakes with ease and the possibility to move notes around without losing connections.