Kyle,
Thanks for the links.  I did just take a look at them and will give you some feedback.


OmniGraffle (at $79) is a bit more than the 20 user license of OpenMind ($60).  OmniGraffle is Mac only (VERY limiting for Lane instructors).  This program certainly seems to be the best for flow charting and diagraming of processes, but pedagogically I believe faculty interest will be in mindmapping, quite a different creature.  In mindmapping, there is little care for the "shapes and colors" of the boxes and bubbles, which OmniGraffle has.  Also, only the $149 OmniGraffle Pro has the export to HTML feature, whereby any instructor could easily create a website (and even upload this website to their Moodle class space and have it function nicely).  It does not look like it will export to PowerPoint or even a simple Word Document (allowing others to "see" the file easily).

The price is right for Gliffy (free), and it is a web-based application which means it would support both Mac and Windows machines.  As a web-based app, it limits uploads to 2MB which would be too limiting for instructors (even for me, if I wanted to create a presidents timeline for my history courses).  Unfortunately, it also comes with internet advertisements, that you can only avoid if you pay the year subscription at $30.  Also, unless you upgrade, you have no private collaborative documents... your creations will all be public, available to anyone else on the internet.  Since I don't have an account, I haven't used the tool yet.  It looks to be mainly a collaborative online whiteboard space, but like OmniGraffle, it is mainly for diagraming and process flows, instead of mindmapping.  I thought I'd take a look at using it in my online class next term as an experiment, but that would also require that each of my students sign up for an account... messy business.

Here are the benefits of OpenMind as I see it.
First, and BIG, OpenMind is available on BOTH Mac and Windows platforms.  
Second, it exports to other useable formats that the other programs do not.  (Everyone at Lane can use a website, PowerPoint, or at least a Word document, all of these are export formats in OpenMind.)
OpenMind is true mindmapping, which focuses on pedagogy more than technology.  I have used it and it is easy, yes even for our tech-challenged colleagues.
Finally, OpenMind is actually meant to be purchased as an institution-wide license, just like Meredith did for SoftChalk.  She said SoftChalk was about $7000 for 2 years, or $3500 a year, and EVERY instructor can use it.  OpenMind costs $3789 for a year license, and every instructor AND STUDENT gets to use it for this price.  (if we bought this license by Nov 30, we'd also get 20% off the price, $3031.20  ;-)

What's Next
If you can buy the 20 user version, I will teach the innovative workshops Winter and Spring Terms.  I can almost guarantee that all 20 licenses will be in use by the end of the year.  Teachers will create and export maps to put in their Moodle classes.  Teachers (like me) will use them IN THE SMART CLASSROOMS while they brainstorm with students, then "give" them all an exported copy of the resulting document.  

Also, you can submit the $3789 in your Unit Plan for next year and have the student tech fee committee purchase it.  It is a small amount for this committee. I am on the committee and have been for 5 years.  We'd fund it with no problems, MAINLY because students can use it.  (It would NOT fund a license that only instructors could use, such as SoftChalk.)  So, future funding would not be an issue with OpenMind.