I've been using FreeMind for over half a year. It is very friendly and the basic functions can be learned and you can start using the program effectively in minutes. I really can not compare it to other mind mapping software as I haven't used any. This is the program that got me into the habit of using mind maps and it has all the functions that I need. I find that its best use is in planning meetings where, instead of using a white board, I can have the mind map projected on a screen from my laptop top. It is similarly useful during WebEx meetings. All of the basic functions have keyboard shortcuts and I find I can easily move around the map and add, remove, move, collapse, and expand elements without moving my hands from the keyboard. It is much easier to take down ideas in meeting using this software than any outlining tool I've used.

You can print a mind map to PDF without having separate PDF software. You can also export your mindmap to a dynamic Web page, on which the parent branches can be collapsed or expanded.

The one feature it doesn't have that I would like is the ability to convert the map into an alpha-numeric outline. I would also like to see an online, collaborative version.