Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why PowerPoint should be banned

washingtonpost.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–90 of 215 posts

Re: Why PowerPoint should be banned

#81

Post by scrollaway »

coldtea wrote: post #44
venganesan wrote: post #9

This is like saying food makes us fat, ban food! Nonsensical

If we're to use logic, how about use it properly? For one, food is essential for our survival. Powerpoint is not. So while banning food would be nonsensical (for that reason), banning Powerpoint doesn't have the same issue. A better example would be: "French fries make us fat, ban french fries". Not as nonsensical. French fries are not essential to eat in the first place, and cause harm according to most studies.

And thus, after banning french fries, the world was less fat.

I think you made GP's point better than he did. Banning the medium and hoping that fixes the root issue is a bit foolish. Not to say banning the medium isn't always a bad idea, but doesn't mean it'll help.

Re: Why PowerPoint should be banned

#82

Post by Joeri »

Powerpoint is not the problem. People thinking the tool makes them a presenter is the problem. Being a good presenter is not an easy thing to learn, and using a tool like powerpoint doesn't make you any better at it. The best resource I've found so far for learning how to present is macsparky's field guide to presentations, but if anyone knows of a better resource I'm all ears.

Re: Why PowerPoint should be banned

#83

Post by pcurve »

lqdc13 wrote: post #65
Someone1234 wrote: post #33

Even if you did ban PowerPoint, people would just find a way to do PP-like things with something else. For example, MS Word, with the page down key (although then the transition animations go away, so that is a minor victory). In my opinion, people are just poorly educated (or not educated) in presentation making. Or to phase it another way, a school may teach them to use PP the software but doesn't teach them how to…

I really like when people put a lot of information on the slides. It makes going over past presentations very easy. For example, when a new ML algorithm comes out, the only way to easily grasp how it works without reading a bunch of papers is to find some Power Point slides by the author. I guarantee people wouldn't make two sets of slides either.

Yes, I like powerpoint that is self contained and makes sense without the presenter. I'm not saying each slide should be crammed with information. I'm fine with 80 page ppt as long as it's self-contained, and narrative, with appropriate amount of information density. It should have a story.

Re: Why PowerPoint should be banned

#84

Post by cesarbs »

peter303 wrote: post #54

In my town we have monthly science meeting called the Cafe Scientifique. A speaker must present his topic in twenty minutes without a projector (sort of an expanded elevator pitch). It can work even for the most complicated topics. The speaker is forced into a more story-telling style. And to focus on a few points told well. P.S. The speaker may distribute a single handout or have a couple images as a large poster.

That's really awesome. Which town is that?

Re: Why PowerPoint should be banned

#86

Post by xenophonf »

Someone1234 wrote: post #33

Even if you did ban PowerPoint, people would just find a way to do PP-like things with something else. For example, MS Word, with the page down key (although then the transition animations go away, so that is a minor victory). In my opinion, people are just poorly educated (or not educated) in presentation making. Or to phase it another way, a school may teach them to use PP the software but doesn't teach them how to…

As someone firmly in the slides-as-illustration school, I love PowerPoint for its outline and speaker's notes views. That's precisely where detailed content should go---alongside the slides or something that can be printed in handouts. Even better is how PowerPoint works with dual-monitor setups, with the speaker's view on one and the presentation on the other. I use that all the time.

Re: Why PowerPoint should be banned

#87

Post by igravious »

coldtea wrote: post #44
venganesan wrote: post #9

This is like saying food makes us fat, ban food! Nonsensical

If we're to use logic, how about use it properly? For one, food is essential for our survival. Powerpoint is not. So while banning food would be nonsensical (for that reason), banning Powerpoint doesn't have the same issue. A better example would be: "French fries make us fat, ban french fries". Not as nonsensical. French fries are not essential to eat in the first place, and cause harm according to most studies.

In fairness, didn't they use a bad analogy rather than faulty logic?

Apart from that I approve of your pedantry.

Re: Why PowerPoint should be banned

#88

Post by delecti »

vkb wrote: post #12

I've seen this type of article come up at least once a year for the last five years now, but banning PowerPoint will not happen in the short-to-medium term in most large (and small, even) companies . Why? Because it's a default app installed on most office machines and because PowerPoint is the language managers speak. If you don't have a PowerPoint or email that managers can physically take to meetings with their ma…

That's actually how it's done at Amazon. The presenter brings printouts for the attendees, or simply links to an internal wiki article. At the beginning of the meeting, everyone reads it in silence, and then after they've had a chance to do so, the discussion starts.

Re: Why PowerPoint should be banned

#90

Post by MarcScott »

lqdc13 wrote: post #65
Someone1234 wrote: post #33

Even if you did ban PowerPoint, people would just find a way to do PP-like things with something else. For example, MS Word, with the page down key (although then the transition animations go away, so that is a minor victory). In my opinion, people are just poorly educated (or not educated) in presentation making. Or to phase it another way, a school may teach them to use PP the software but doesn't teach them how to…

I really like when people put a lot of information on the slides. It makes going over past presentations very easy. For example, when a new ML algorithm comes out, the only way to easily grasp how it works without reading a bunch of papers is to find some Power Point slides by the author. I guarantee people wouldn't make two sets of slides either.

But this is not what PowerPoint was created for, it is designed to be an accompaniment to a speaker. If a slide deck is placed online for viewing without the speaker, the speaker notes should provide the extra detail, not the slides themselves.
Post reply on HN