Presentation Software Suggestions
BillyRoastbeef (9 pencils) | Tue, 2008-02-12 18:04Does anyone have any recommendations for presentation software? I work for a small agency and currently Powerpoint is our current presentation tool of choice by the default of it being bundled with Microsoft's Office Suite. I won't go into why we hate Powerpoint as I am sure that many of you share the same frustrations. I have started to create presentations using InDesign and then exporting them as a PDF however since I am the only employee with Adobe Creative Suite, no one else can edit the presentations. Everyone else in the agency uses PC's so Keynote is also not an option. I know this is a long shot, but does anyone have any software recommendations? Thanks for your help.
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Keynote can export to PowerPoint format. You should give it a try!
Another thread on this here: http://creativebits.org/powerpoint
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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Dirt and Rust
Thanks for the article reference. The problem with keynote is that everyone else I work with uses a PC (keynote isn't PC compatible is it?). We would like to be able to have everyone have access to the presentation software and be able to edit presentations. So I am debating having everyone use InDesign to create presentations and then export them as PDF's. The downside is that buying 10 copies of InDesign is sort of pricey. Any thoughts?
KEYNOTE EXPORTS AND IMPORTS POWERPOINT FILES. :)
Keep everyone else on powerpoint and you stay in Keynote.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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Dirt and Rust
Keynote is easier for you to use, since it has all the advantages of being an Apple-designed application. It's part of iWork and pretty cheap. I recently purchased it to create a slide show that translated almost perfectly into PowerPoint (yes, for PC -- just be sure, if you burn it to a CD, that you format the CD for PC and Mac). I lost some of the refinements of the Mac slide format, but not so much that you'd gag. What was more of a loss might be fixable if I spent some time figuring out how to do it; i.e., the timed cross-fades and so on.
It sounds like your best bet might be to get Microsoft Office for Mac, which has PowerPoint in it. Can't go wrong with that. You just can't go gorgeous.
Mara
This is another good idea. You can do a lot with jpg backgrounds, however, to spice up a presentation, just be tasteful about it. :)
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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Dirt and Rust
One of my big issues with powerpoint is the formatting, but maybe there is no way around that. Keynote would work for me but I would like to have all of my coworkers have the same software so that everyone can work on the same presentation if necessary, and since they have PC's, keynote wouldn't work for them. I know I could use keynote and export it as a powerpoint, but I would like my coworkers to be able to make presentations, instead of editing the ones I created in keynote. Also, I would like to try to try to get away from my coworkers using powerpoint if possible - but maybe there isn't any other options? Again, thank you for your input.
Whatever software you use it has to function on a PC. The only game in town that I know of on the PC is Powerpoint, unfortunately. Look at my signature -- you know I agree with you on Powerpoint's limitations. :)
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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Dirt and Rust
Oooo!
I might be able to suggest just the thing you're looking for. I'm the Design Director at Flypaper Studio. We've just launched our public beta of a software product called, you guessed it: Flypaper. It's free, plays nice with Windows, and allows you to easily create high-impact presentations and stories. You can publish for live or Web use. Check it out:
http://www.flypaper.net
All the best,
Chris
You need Degas in order to make de VanGogh
I haven't tried it out Flypaper yet but it looks like it could be a good alternative to powerpoint. Thanks for the recommendation. P.S. I know you can run Windows on a Mac, but if your company gets bored can you create a Mac-version? I am lazy when it comes to switching back and forth from Windows on my mac.
Hehe, that's been our number one bit of feedback so far. We started the Flypaper project with a very specific market in mind, but as the application became cooler and cooler, more people starting finding more ways to use it.
There will not be a Mac-native version in the next year or so. I'm a Mac guy who uses Windows at the office, so I feel your pain. But Flypaper really does run nicely via Parallels.
We'd love feedback from anyone in this community. (We know, we know, you want a Mac version). It's actually a fairly strong design application, and your voice is heard by myself and the rest of the product team as we approach 1.0.
http://www.flypaper.net
You need Degas in order to make de VanGogh
If you get so many requests for a mac version, why not start making one?
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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Dirt and Rust
I'd like to see a Mac version someday, as well. But first thing's first. We're still working practically around the clock just to get a version 1.0 out there. We've got a phenomenal team of minds, a solid Windows beta, and you can do a lot with the product right now. But there are still a number of features we'd like to add, and a number of features we need to finish.
I hope you understand that as a small start-up, we need to bite off portions that we can chew, not just do a good job, but a GREAT job. If we can get a little traction, the future is wide open.
You need Degas in order to make de VanGogh
You do realize this site is geared toward mac users? :) On the help page, first item:
And yes, I do have full knowledge of the software development cycle. I work at a software company.
Wish you the best,
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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Dirt and Rust
Like I said, I'm a Mac user by default. While I don't post here often, I've been a regular reader for a couple years, so I'm at least somewhat familiar with the locals :)
Billyroastbeef had asked about an alternative to PowerPoint for PC. I offered what I consider a very "Mac-like" product, even though it's currently only available for Windows.
~You need Degas in order to make de VanGogh~
You need Degas in order to make de VanGogh
This is a bit of a contradiction. I respect what you are doing and nice job, but you still don't have a mac version of your software. Till you do, you don't have a mac product. But no worries, just wanted to point that out. :)
It is nice to have your option for the pc, though, and I may just have to go check it out!
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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Dirt and Rust