I've always just used OpenOffice Draw and it just occurred to me that there has to be something better out there.
So what do you use? Do you like it?
Bonus points for free things and for web apps.
+6
A:
Microsoft Visio is pretty much designed for this task - whilst expensive, it's very good.
middaparka
2009-10-22 13:19:42
I'll second that. I get it as part of an MSDN subscription and find it useful for flowcharts, network diagrams and database diagrams. I haven't used OpenOffice Draw so I can't compare it but Visio seems to have everything I need.
TLiebe
2009-10-22 13:23:01
It might be good for flowcharts but it's absolutely horrible for UML, particularly sequence diagrams.
Kristof Provost
2009-10-22 15:26:32
IMHO, Visio is hard to use and takes too much time to make a diagram :(
Yacoder
2009-11-09 23:08:46
+3
A:
SmartDraw is great. Visio is good too, but not as feature-rich.
Google Docs has also recently added flowchart support too.
Galwegian
2009-10-22 13:20:06
+7
A:
I use Dia, the Diagram Editor.
Dia - Best Freeware Flowcharting (Visio) Tool
Dia is a free flowcharting tool, similar to Microsofts Visio. It is useful for building informal diagrams, database diagrams and databse models, as well as drawing more complex charts such as UML diagrams.
Objects in the charts can be connected with lines and arrows in a variety of styles.
Object types in Dia include AADL, Assorted, BPMN, ChemEng, Chonogram, Cisco, Civil, Cybernetics, Electric, ER, Flowchart, FS, Gane and Sarson, GRAFCET, Jigsaw, Ladder, Logic, Map, isometric, MSE, Network, Pneumatic / Hydrualic, RE-i*, RE-Jackson, RE_kaos, SADT/IDEFO, SDL, Sybase and UML.
Dia saves diagrams in serveral formats, including XML, EPS, SVG, XFIG and PNG.
Diagrams in Dia can span multiple pages. For a few examples of diagrams created in Dia, see http://live.gnome.org/Dia/Examples. Dia is freeware and open source.
Pascal Thivent
2009-10-22 13:20:27
A:
Rational Software Modeler (used to be Rational Rose).
It also comes with a Microsoft .NET Extension that allows you to do .NET code generation from certain models.
Justin Niessner
2009-10-22 13:20:27
+5
A:
I am using OmniGraffle which is not free but I don't regret buying a license at all
Aurélien Bottazzini
2009-10-22 13:20:29
OmniGraffle is an excellent tool. Sadly Mac-only; I used to bring my Mac to work just for this program alone!
Alex Feinman
2009-10-22 13:26:35
A:
I'll throw Freemind on to the heap. Not so much for flow charting, but mindmapping. Good for high level brainstorming sessions.
brad.huffman
2009-10-22 13:31:05
+2
A:
There is also Visual Paradigm for UML. The community edition is free for non-commercial use.
Konamiman
2009-10-22 13:52:36
A:
I use both Mindmeister (easy to use and free) and Visio 2007 (powerful).
Busted Keaton
2009-10-22 14:26:09
A:
OmniGraffle http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/OmniGraffle/
This is only for the mac, and only the demo part is free, but it worth the money.
jay
2009-10-22 15:53:08
+1
A:
I prefer to make diagrams on paper, it's cheap and much, much faster than using a computerized tool. Not so pretty for showing to others though.
HLGEM
2009-10-22 19:41:27
+1
A:
you'll find lots of similar questions with a lot of the same answers under the flowchart tag.
Peter Recore
2009-10-22 19:48:45
A:
I Like Visio, because of its extensive shapesheets and templates that come with it. If you are also interested in making Wireframes, I can recommend the free wireframing shapesheet from GUUUI.
Also, I use FreeMind for visualising tree-style relations.
Sander
2010-06-17 15:31:20