Alternatives to Visio

[beercohol]

having tried some of the alternatives I'll have to agree with you,
Wallet out and cobwebs off, visio has been purchased!

Ah, hopefully, you purchased Visio as a private individual so that the distance-selling laws can apply. That way, you can still send it back for a refund if.....

...the reason I asked earlier about whether you wanted to do UML Activity diagrams is that they are very close technically to the kind of thing Flowcharts did. Also they are simpler. It will take about 15 minutes to learn how to do UML Activity diagrams, plus you can put UML on your CV, plus you can download the EXCELLENT open source StarUML application.

Stuff all the other UML diagram types (until you want to investigate them later), and just create a new Activity Diagram in this very Visual Studio-looking environment. Not at all tacky. Actually its a very slick interface and is as easy to use as snapping VB form elements onto a form.

I discovered it since I investigated diagramming tools when you started this thread, and so far its brilliant.

[Spacecadet]

No. Not really IMHO. I've tried the above mentioned and they are a far cry from recent incarnations of Visio. Compatibility issues when swapping documents with bona-fide Visio are a nightmare.

Visio is one of the Windows apps I can't do without, along with VS and QuickBooks, so I run them on my Mac in a Windows VM (Fusion).

having tried some of the alternatives I'll have to agree with you,
Wallet out and cobwebs off, visio has been purchased!

[bogeyman]

I frequently need to create basic flow charts, word is ok for this but there must be a better way.
Are there any free alternatives to MS vision out there?

No. Not really IMHO. I've tried the above mentioned and they are a far cry from recent incarnations of Visio. Compatibility issues when swapping documents with bona-fide Visio are a nightmare.

Visio is one of the Windows apps I can't do without, along with VS and QuickBooks, so I run them on my Mac in a Windows VM (Fusion).

[xchaotic]

DIA++

It actually did it for me.
If you want really simple stuff go for TechSmith SnagIT - they offer older version for free. It's for screenshots but has nice arrows and shades.

[AtW]

If you are paying for Office, subscribe to the Microsoft Action Pack instead.


You get 10 licences for loads of software (Office, Visio, Visual Studio, Microsoft Server, Exchange Server, etc...) for £199 a year

VS is very crippled in it - this package (that I subscribe to) only makes sense if you have got plenty of computers, I got almost 10 so it works out almost as a good deal.

[Spacecadet]

If you are paying for Office, subscribe to the Microsoft Action Pack instead.


You get 10 licences for loads of software (Office, Visio, Visual Studio, Microsoft Server, Exchange Server, etc...) for £199 a year

I keep meaning to have a look at that, but for £199 per year i don't think i'll get the use out of it. I have pretty much all the software i need except for a proper diagram creation system

[Spacecadet]

Open Office has a drawing package.

downloading that now

But if you want proper diagramming, have a look at dia.

downloading that now

Also, but I haven't investigated this one, Kivio.

seems to be Linux only

When you say flowcharts, are you talking about old-school flowcharts, or UML flow diagrams?

Just old school flow charts, never done any UML stuff (and at this rate never will)

Cheers

[r0bly0ns]

If you are paying for Office, subscribe to the Microsoft Action Pack instead.


You get 10 licences for loads of software (Office, Visio, Visual Studio, Microsoft Server, Exchange Server, etc...) for £199 a year

[beercohol]

Open Office has a drawing package.

But if you want proper diagramming, have a look at dia.

Also, but I haven't investigated this one, Kivio.

When you say flowcharts, are you talking about old-school flowcharts, or UML Activity Diagrams?

[beercohol]

Wah, yessir derriz!

[Spacecadet]

I frequently need to create basic flow charts, word is ok for this but there must be a better way.
Are there any free alternatives to MS vision out there?