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Daily Archives: June 10, 2005

The Pros and Cons of PowerPoint Presentations

Two postings, via Hot Links, that offer useful comments on best practices for PowerPoint presentations, as well as how and when to dispense with them in favor of simply talking directly to your audience:

  • “It has become commonplace to rail against the evils of PowerPoint talks; you know, those dull, boring never-ending ordeals where the speaker — or should I say “reader” — displays what appears to be a never-ending progression of slides, each with numerous bulleted points, sometimes coming on to the screen from unexpected directions in unexpected ways, each one being slowly read to the audience. PowerPoint should be banned, cries the crowd…I respectfully submit that all of this is nonsense…accompanied by poor understanding of speech making and of the difference between the requirements for a speech-giver, the speech-listener (the audience), and for the reader of a printed document. These are three different things.” [Link]
  • Creating Passionate Users: Stop your presentation before it kills again!
  • Related references:

  • The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint, Edward R. Tufte, 2003.
  • Beyond Bullet Points: Using Microsoft PowerPoint to Create Presentations That Inform, Motivate, and Inspire, Cliff Atkinson, 2005.
  • Ten PowerPoint 2004 Tips to Beat Tight Deadlines
  • President Promotes Renewal of Patriot Act

    White House Press release: President Visits National Counterterrorism Center “I mean, not only are we sharing information here at home, we’re sharing information with our allies, with our coalition partners. See, terrorists are willing to strike at anybody who loves freedom, and our job is to protect free societies — the freest of all societies… Continue Reading

    Patent Reform Act of 2005 Offers Comprehensive Changes

    Press release, June 8, 2005: “Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX) today introduced the Patent Reform Act of 2005 (63 pages, PDF), legislation to improve the quality of patents issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and to reform certain patent practices that disrupt the operations of high−tech companies and other businesses. The bill in its… Continue Reading

    Questions Surround Editing of U.S. Report on Global Warming

    On June, 2005 the New York Times published this article, Bush Aide Softened Greenhouse Gas Links to Global Warming, which states that Philip A. Cooney, White House Council on Environmental Quality’s chief of staff, formerly with the American Petroleum Institute, altered climate research already vetted by government scientists. Related documents and additional details are available… Continue Reading