Software for representation / analysis of internet discussion forums

[Celso Alvarez Cáccamo]

(Apologies for cross-posting)

Hello,

I wonder if anyone could recommend an easy to use (preferably free ;-) ; preferably for Mac OS X) software or utility to do graphic representations of comments and mini-dialogues in debates in internet forums, for example in bubble forms and/or flow charts, such as:

COMMENT 1 ------> COMMENT 3
            |
	    --------------> COMMENT 7 -------> COMMENT 8

COMMENT 2 ------> COMMENT 5

etc.

The possibility to place comments and themes precisely in a timeline would be good, too. All this can be done manually, of course (with flow-chart or "mental map" utilities), but the idea is to enter the entire comment, enter backward and forward links (and cross-links) and be able to obtain various representations.

My experience with this type of software is NULL, whether for internet debates or for oral dialogue analysis.

Thank you very much,
-celso

Celso Alvarez Cáccamo
lxalvarz at udc.es
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