Re: Scrap PowerPoint 2003 since PowerPoint 97 is much better
- From: Pete <ibpete@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 12 May 2005 10:59:10 -0400
Yes 2003 added some nifty features but I tend to agree more with Erfavlin than the MVPs.
I too have used PPT professionally through all versions. I design and develop highly technical presentations for a major network equipment vendor, so I really don't feel like all I do is "type text onto slides with an occassional image". But then maybe I am remiss in thinking that the purpose of a slide is to convey some meaningful content. If a slide's content is merely to dazzle or entertain then many of my complaints are invalid.
In my experience each upgrade from 97 on has added some bells and whistles but none of them has significantly improved my productivity over PPT97 (which I still use at home). Since my company provides the software (whether I want it or not but that is another topic) it hasn't cost me personally to upgrade, at least not directly. The indirect costs are having to migrate customizations and relearn modified user interfaces. I estimate 40 hours at each iteration. So if I have a "shop rate" of $100/hr the migrations since 97 have cost my employer's not less than $16,000. Or, as is the case with my most recent employer, I work nights and weekends to compensate for the lost productivity. The cost of the software is a drop in the bucket.
Yes 2003 has some neat features but I have to ask if any of the following has really improved anyone's content or increased their overall productivity?
1) Multiple masters
2) Much better animations
3) Much better control of animations
4) Password protection
The changes to autocorrect were the single biggest F-up. Yes, you can control them to an extent but I, and others, have posted many times about how not being able to change the cut and paste default is a serious flaw. Whatever I gained with 2003 is far offset by the fact that I can no longer cut content from one slide and move it to another in a single operation.
Don't get me wrong, I like PPT it's just that, like Erfavlin, I don't really see that 2003 was that big of an improvement and, if asked, I could only recommend an upgrade if advanced animations were required (but I would also ask how the user thought motion paths would improve their content).
On a final note... Anyone that follows this thread should realize that the MVPs are not MS employees. I have a lot of respect for them and have been helped immeasurably by their expertise. However, the fact that MVPs have acquired that status means that they are heavily biased towards the product. So a final Q for the MVPs...Is is possible for you to criticise the product and maintain MVP status? :-)
Best regards and thanks for the ear,
Mike Langford (aka Pete)
John O wrote:
Nobody I know, except myself uses PowerPoint 2003 because they can see no single advantage over PowerPoint 97 and this backward compatibility is a serious issue.
At this point I can't tell if you're serious or not. Assuming you are, probably the only reason to upgrade Office from the 2000 version to 2003 was PowerPoint. Sure, there's some other stuff, buy Ppt saw major improvements. From 97 to 2003 is a HUGE jump in features and usability. Animations, compressible after you're done, the user interface is superb, and notes pages are really cool...the list is very long but most of us focus on a few features we use regularly.
That said, if all you're doing is typing text onto slides with an occassional image, then maybe '97 is fine for you. Personally, the motion-path animations and simultaneous animations were worth a lot.
---In Ppt '03, right-click the images and select Format Picture. Click the Compress button, and watch your file sizes shrink with no loss in display quality.
-John O
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