Several readers have asked whether I share with other instructors the presentations I put together, and if so, could they have copies. The answer, as you might have guessed, is yes to both parts of the inquiry, but inevitably these days, technology does complicate things...
In the twenty-plus years I have been using computers, I have had a Macintosh, either in my office or at home. In my career as a geologist, graphical capability on a machine was essential, and until PCs began to mimic the Macs, Apple products were far superior to whatever desktop stuff was out there. The company I worked for supplied Macs to the geologists, and the awkward PCs to those employees concerned with only words and numbers.
That's another story, however, inappropriate for this site. But, although Microsoft 'Office' is everywhere, Apple software developers have produced good and competitive applications that in many ways are superior. 'Keynote' is the Mac version of 'PowerPoint', and IMHO is graphically more pleasing, easier to use, and visually more elegant than PP. All my recent presentations are in 'Keynote'. Soooo....
Know that in my recent efforts, I embed video, use animations built in to the application, use different slide-transitions, vary entry and exit of text, and add sound where appropriate. If you know how to convert such 'Keynote' material to whatever application you are using, I'll share my material, but I usually don't write a lot of notes, since I make my presentations for my own personal delivery, and I can remember what I am on about, without referring to text. All I ask is that you identify the source of whatever you use. Writers may not get paid, but they do expect credit.
Dr. Evans. There is a superior product out there developed by Sun, Mac and other programmers that mimics and allows all types of different things to be compatible with Microsoft. It is freeware issued by WWW.openoffice.org, you may find that this is a good conversion tool for us lowly PC users.
Keep up the outstanding work.
Posted by: Roy Shepherd | June 21, 2008 at 07:51 AM