Posted on 08/05/2015 9:23:52 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Microsoft would never say that Sway, its new presentation app that you can download starting today, is going to kill its much-maligned cash cow PowerPoint.
So I will: Microsoft Sway is a PowerPoint killer.
Today, Sway goes into general availability, meaning that users of Office 365 in business and education can get it. Plus, Microsoft is releasing the official Sway app for Windows 10, alongside an update to all versions of the tool. And it's still free for consumers.
Technically, you've been able to get Sway since last October when a preview version came out.
At the time, Business Insider said that "Sway lets you drag and drop photos, videos, files from your computer, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, or cloud storage. It works via a web browser or an app for your phone, and the presentation is stored on the web."
The basic idea behind Sway is very cool: Just write your text and drop in your images for your presentation and it makes sure it looks good on any device, regardless of the screen size.
It's easier to show than to tell, so check out a demo Sway presentation provided by Microsoft. For bonus points, look at it on a few different devices:
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Of course the real problem with Powerpoint isn’t the software it’s how people use it. 99% of Powerpoint presentations simple shouldn’t exist, none of what people put in them needs to be visually presented, people should stand up in front and hold the room, don’t hide behind slides that are nothing more than the outline of your speech.
What is the Army going to do now?
THE BALLAD OF THE POWER POINT RANGER
(sung to the tune of “The Green Beret”)
Requests are made from day to day;
Briefings held and changes made.
Graphic slides, a must they say,
Power Point is the only way.
Computers crash and printers stall,
Overloading protocol.
Network’s down and soldiers cry
Briefing’s late, so heads will fly.
Pin Power Point slides upon my chest,
Full color slides, they look the best
100 slides were made that day
but only 10 made the final display.
Smiles upon the General’s face
Slides were done, looked really great
Was up all night really working late,
Just to hear the General say ....
My soldier son, your slides were great,
Briefing’s done, staff’s up to date,
One problem son, you took too long,
So put in one more change, then go on home.
So tell my Mom I done my best,
Pin Power Point slides upon my chest
100 slides were made that day,
but only 10 made the final display.
Credit To:
MSG Steven W. Rowland
412th Engineer Command
10 March 2003
(Power Point Ranger)
That’s not bad. I’d take it further. I’d only make slides for stuff that must be pictured. Basically give the presentation once in front of a whiteboard, anything people can’t understand until you draw it on the board gets a slide, nothing else. You don’t need a slide to present most of the stuff on his list, the problem should be one sentence unless it’s very technical, the solution 2 or 3, your business model is a couple of buzz words. Projection and milestones is an OK graphic, same with status and timeline, other than that talk it through. Especially in this post Mad Men world, just youtube any Draper pitch, his “slides” are images from the ad copy, he’s comfortable telling you this will increase sales by 10% in the first year, you don’t need a picture for that.
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