Powerpoint 2008 (Mac) vs. Powerpoint 2007 (Vista)

None ^ | 6/03/2009 | Me

[TheBattman]

OK - so - I do 90% of my work using my Macs - a 12" iBook (last generation) and a PowerMac Dual G5 desktop. The other 10% I spend with an HP Pavilion Laptop (Vista).

So - Working with Powerpoint on both platforms - I have found that there is a huge difference in functionality - with the Mac version generally being for more tolerant of media files (both audio and video)

With Powerpoint 2008 (Mac), I can throw pretty much any popular format audio file or video file and it just works.

Take that same presentation (saved on thumb drive or disc with all media included) and try to run it on a PC (in this case, a PC running Vista and Office 2007), and you get to a media file in the presentation, and you get a little speaker icon on the screen - but nothing plays.

Build the presentation on the HP - and it works very similar to the Mac version, except again - it is super picky as to media formats.

What I have found - videos in MPG work, and WMV sometimes work. Most other video file formats are a no-go.

Audio files - mp3 files won't work, aiff won't work, m4v won't work, etc. .wav works.... bleh.

So why the big gap?

[TheBattman]

So what's the deal? I have yet to find a real explanation of this very significant difference. The presentations, if they do not contain audio or video components work pretty seamlessly across platforms. About the only other issue I find is not platform related - but font related.

[mnehring]

bfltr

I think there is actually something with Quicktime being the default sounds handler but I can check tomorrow at work.

[flintsilver7]

There are some known issues with Powerpoint and attempting to use presentations across platforms like this. Some of it has to do with the original file types inserted. Macs use Quicktime by default while Windows machines don’t, so that could be a problem. In general, if you create the presentation on a Mac, you’re going to have problems on Windows, while the reverse is also true. With high probability any two machines are going to have a different library of audio and video codecs to work with.

[flintsilver7]

Also, there is a very good chance that elements of a presentation created in Powerpoint 2008 are not going to be compatible with Powerpoint 2007. Like you said, a simple text-only presentation should work fine, but as the presentations get more involved, the compatibility goes down.

[Jet Jaguar]

Ping.

[CodeToad]

Try installing QuickTime on your PC and see what happens.

[JRandomFreeper]

So why the big gap?

MS proprietary stuff, mainly. MS doesn't like to play AVIs. Part of it may have to do with RIAA copy protection.

MS is NOT open software.

/johnny

[Swordmaker]

Powerpoint 2008 (Mac) vs. Powerpoint 2007 (Vista) question from The Battman—PING!

Mac v Windows query Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[Glenn]

- so -

Every 2 bit geek on the planet has picked up this speaking tic. Start every paragraph with "So". Makes me nuts.

[hugorand]

You’re dealing with: 1) different hardware; 2) different operating systems and 3) different versions of the software. Those are 3 big variables regarding audio and video issues. MSFT tech support is your best bet.

[Richard Kimball]

So it bugs you?

[Swordmaker]

Every 2 bit geek on the planet has picked up this speaking tic. Start every paragraph with "So". Makes me nuts.

So what.

;^)>

[Terpfen]

Hey, SM, there’s a new AirPort update being pushed out through Software Update.

[BradyLS]

We have Macs and PCs where we work that need to share files and presentations. We follow the KISS rule and, on the Mac side, will sometimes save the file in an earlier version of PowerPoint or Word to make sure the target PC user can open/read/present the file.

Fonts can also be a problem, so try to stick to OpenType and TrueType fonts. Especially the ones that come loaded with Office for either platform.

[vox_freedom]

Thanks, Swordmaker for the
!

[TheBattman]

You’re dealing with: 1) different hardware; 2) different operating systems and 3) different versions of the software. Those are 3 big variables regarding audio and video issues. MSFT tech support is your best bet.

You are only partially correct.

While I am dealing with different hardware and operating systems, the application being run, Powerpoint, is the latest available from Microsoft for each platform (and are otherwise functionally very similar).

But this problem existed prior to these version of Powerpoint as well.

I can play every single media file on the Windows machine just fine - as long as it isn't within a Powerpoint presentation. So this is in no-way a hardware issue, nor an OS issue. This is 100% a functional problem with Microsoft and their Office applications. For whatever reason, MS has CHOSEN to support only a very limited list of media types in Powerpoint for Windows, but doesn't seem to mind supporting a much more extensive list on the Macintosh platform.

[TheBattman]

In general, if you create the presentation on a Mac, you’re going to have problems on Windows, while the reverse is also true. With high probability any two machines are going to have a different library of audio and video codecs to work with.

Actually, I have FAR fewer problems with Windows-based Powerpoint files presented on my Macs... I get sent Powerpoint files all the time created under Windows - that almost NEVER fail to play - media included.

[TheBattman]

MS proprietary stuff, mainly

Microsoft developed both Office (Powerpoint) 2007 for Windows, and Office (Powerpoint) 2008 for Mac.

[TheBattman]

Try installing QuickTime on your PC and see what happens.

Have the latest version of QuickTime Pro on the PC -

[CurlyDave]

Microsoft developed both Office (Powerpoint) 2007 for Windows, and Office (Powerpoint) 2008 for Mac.

Microsoft has a lot of business reasons to want Macs to become extinct.

Of course they will deny taking any active steps in this direction for antitrust reasons, but if there are always a few niggling problems in crossing platforms, Windows gains...

[antiRepublicrat]

You're missing a codec? Try the combined community codec pack for Windows.

Yes, the CCCP thing is sarcastic.

[hugorand]

Powerpoint, is the latest available from Microsoft for each platform (and are otherwise functionally very similar).

Functionally yes, but the software is still different for each operating system at the point where it communicates with hardware devices like audio and video. Also, the audio and video devices are different for each machine.

I used to deal with the same issues when I had a Mac and a PC, and I know how frustrating it is.

Apple Macs went to the Intel processor a few years ago, and now I have a single laptop machine: Macbook Pro 17", and I can run both OS X and Windows (in a virtual machine) when necessary.

[DeLaine]

So Swordmaker beat me to it.

LOL. (actually I start a lot of sentences with “Well, )

[Glenn]

So Swordmaker beat me to it.

You're doing it wrong.

It should be:

So, (must have the comma pause), Swordmaker beat me to it.

[DeLaine]

I’m a geek-in-practice!!!!!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks SM.

[TheBattman]

I just don’t see it as a codec issue - if the media files play just fine on the WINDOWS machine OUTSIDE of Powerpoint.

I mean, come on - .mp3 is not a proprietary file format to Apple by ANY stretch. I can play any .mp3 I wish on the Win machine, and it plays just fine. I add that same .mp3 to a powerpoint presentation and it will not play - just puts a speaker icon on the frame...

If the computer will play the file otherwise, then why can Powerpoint not play it in a presentation?

Yet Powerpoint under OSX plays it just fine.

[TheBattman]

Microsoft has a lot of business reasons to want Macs to become extinct.

While I won't deny MS prefering Apple fall off the face of the earth, I find it funny that the version of PowerPoint (and Word for that matter) that THEY created for OSX is better and more functional than the version they created for their own OS!!!

[krb]

with the Mac version generally being for more tolerant of media files (both audio and video)

To get media to work well with powerpoint on the PC, it is best to follow these steps:

• Use WMV as your video format if possible.
• Make sure the complete path name isn't too long (including subdirectories). In fact I like to put all my media files into a directory off of the root (i.e. C:\media) for just this reason

[antiRepublicrat]

In that case Powerpoint may not use the system codecs, only its own that it wants to understand.

Also, not all mp3s are built the same. Players have their limits on bit depth, bit rate, etc., and Powerpoint’s may just be done cheaply. Probably in order to promote the use of WMA instead.

[antiRepublicrat]

I find it funny that the version of PowerPoint (and Word for that matter) that THEY created for OSX is better and more functional than the version they created for their own OS!!!

The Apple development team at Microsoft considers themselves superior to the rest of the place and constantly puts out better software to prove it.

[TheBattman]

Also, not all mp3s are built the same. Players have their limits on bit depth, bit rate, etc., and Powerpoint’s may just be done cheaply. Probably in order to promote the use of WMA instead.

You have partially hit the nail on the head. While the .mp3 file I was using was nothing "special" - was a middle-of-the-road file (so I don't think that is the issue), your touching on trying to force WMA might be a better explanation.

Still goes back to one thought...

If Windows is so "superior", then why would MS allow their own product, designed for OS X, to be so much superior to the same product built for their own OS? I'm not complaining, as there are still some issues that I have with MS Word on both platforms that make me want to do harm to Gates and Co.!

But that being said - sure would make for an interesting sales presentation in a reseller setting - as MS's office suite seems to still be the default software for most people - Run PowerPoint on two basically comparable machines - a Mac and a Windows machine... Try to put the same basic presentation together using identical audio or video files (in a common format, not a proprietary DRM'ed one). Then give it a whirl...

[TheBattman]

* Use WMV as your video format if possible. * Make sure the complete path name isn't too long (including subdirectories). In fact I like to put all my media files into a directory off of the root (i.e. C:\media) for just this reason

Actually, standard operating procedure for me when creating ppt presentations is to put all media in one folder on the thumb drive. I learned that long ago from someone else who was supposedly an "expert" who kept getting upset when a presentation done on their desktop wouldn't play right on the same kind of computer across campus for a presentation before a room full of teachers... AT the time I knew little about Powerpoint. But when I took a look at it - and saw that it was linking to a file on "C:/", I asked her.. how exactly is powerpoint suppose to play a file on your desktop across campus? She just looked at me blankly.

But yes - apparently, Powerpoint on Windows apparently likes WMV and WAV. Anything else is likely to not work. Seems kind of odd and ironic, and supports my preference for OS X.