Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Free (as in beer) Windows Flowcharting?

Posted by Cliff on from the diagrams-of-geometric-shapes dept.

bhtooefr asks: "I need a flowcharting program for use in one of my programming classes at Central Ohio Technical College, and I can't afford to spend much money. The instructor recommended that I use Microsoft Visio, but it's way past my budget (and I can't obtain it for free). I've tried a free trial app (SmartDraw), but I didn't like the UI at all. Kivio won't do the job, because the free version is only for KDE, and Kivio MP isn't free. However, if there's a Kivio port to Windows that is free, I'd be rather interested. Any ideas here?"

3 of 71 comments (clear)

  1. Visual Thought by lightspawn · · Score: 4, Informative

    Get it here.

  2. Re:Visio rules by duffbeer703 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Who gives a shit about free software. The guy has a project to get done.

    There is nothing wrong with paying $60 for a very well designed and useful piece of software. Visio is a stellar product, which is why MS bought the company.

    --
    Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
  3. Re:Try Dia by AndyElf · · Score: 3, Interesting

    With all due respect to Dia -- it is hardly Visio replacement. Afew PVs:

    * Having to go through 3-5 clicks just to change a width or color of a line -- gimme a break.

    * Can't apply changes to group of objects.

    * Annoying menu structure -- it is even worse than that of The Gimp.

    * On Windows -- it's just too quirky and to slow (which largely GTK+ problem, admitted by the porters, hopefully will get better, eventually...)

    One can use Dia if one has to -- but it really is *not* a drop-in Visio replacement.

    Speaking of which -- with each new release it (Visio) gets worse...

    --

    --AP