Help with Powerpoint Presentation, please

[cojones]

I have to learn Powerpoint pretty damned quick - and I am a Luddite. Just got the hang of the Morse Key and the pigeons, to be honest.
I have got some of the basics, but need to know:
1, Photos. How do you guarantee good resolution from, say, Google Photo Library? Even selecting 'Extra Large' doesn't seem to give good enlarged picture on screen.
2. Projector. How do I make the computer (Dell Laptop) accept the projector as a second monitor? I've tried Fn+F8
3. Presenters Notes. How do I have my notes available for me to read, but not have them appear on the projected image? I saw a presenter using this last week, but he was so quick in trying to explain to me that I missed the keystrokes required. It seemed like he had his Laptop screen split into 2 halves: photos on the left and his commentary on the right, but only the photos displayed on screen. I'm Using Powerpoint 2003.
I have looked at the Microsoft website for help and even bought a 'Learn Direct' on-line tutorial thingy, but I'm still not far away from the starting blocks. I'm sure some of my query is blindingly obvious -- when you know how!
Thanks in advance.
Rgds.

[Bushfiva]

PowerPoint has an option to display the presentation on one monitor and the notes on the other: look for the "show on" option. More recent versions (2002 on) also have "presenter view".

I don't have a Dell, but Fn-F8 probably cycles through your display options: lcd only, lcd + external, external only. You may need to "extend" the desktop rather than just duplicate it: use Fn-F8 to get both displays working. Then do something like start - control panel - displays - settings. You should now see a panel showing two displays, 1 and 2. You can drag the displays around, and a drop-down box underneath shows you which display is your LCD, and which is your external display (in your case, the projector).

Near the bottom of the panel there will be an empty tickbox with "extend my windows desktop onto this monitor". Tick the box. This will change the settings from simply duplicating the display to one large desktop.Again, I don't know if you have to do this to get Powerpoint to display on the external monitor, it's about 6 years since I did this and my memory has had a few bits flipped over the years.

OK, check this out: http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/powerpoint/HA010565471033.aspx

[srobarts]

1)Look at the resolution of the image you are wanting to insert. Anything significantly less than the screen resolution will appear pixilated/blurry if shown full screen.
2)You have to find the key from the Dell manual - try downloading a copy from the dell website.
3)The presenter view that you mention is a feature that was added in PowerPoint 2007 so your only way to have it is an upgrade!
Hope that helps

[Rossian]

With tongue in cheek cojones:

Why do you want to send your audience to sleep? Powerpoint is the death of thought. Above all, if you must do it, DO NOT read what is on the slides, it insults the listener's intelligence. Good luck.

The Ancient Mariner

[cojones]

Rossian: You're absolutely correct! I've seen some catastrophic PowerPoint presentations, but it is something I have to learn to do to illustrate a talk.
SRobarts: Aaah, so that's why it won't work in PP2003, I need 2007, although it seems that it should be a working feature in 2003 Version....?
Bushfiva: Thanks for all that. I'll give it a go tonight.
Thanks all - any other info is always welcome.

[42ongo]

Rossian so true
is there anything worse than being subjected to death by powerpoint ?:ugh:

Guys and gals is there any shame in using speakers notes printed out ?
I don t think so ..............much easier than messing around with multiple screens :ok:


I dont know how long the presentation is planned for but we find a good yardstick to use is 10/20/30

No more than 10 slides per topic
No more than 20 minutes per topic
No font smaller than 30 points

Be dynamic and enthusiastic ...........if you are not the audience wont be either
when you give a PPT you are acting
the podium is your stage
the audience is your audience
plenty of eye contact to all members
and again great advice from Rossian
Do NOT read the slides :=

Good luck

[Mac the Knife]

Powerpoint is an excellent tool - I use it a LOT!

The problem is in meatspace.

I am frequently subjected to numbers of appalling Powerpoint presentations - the biggest culprits are:-

Trying to be clever
Bizarre (or boring) backgrounds
Weird and/or illegible fonts in profusion
Stuff zooming in and out with sound effects
Individual slides so busy that they look like a greeked palimpsest
Incomprehensible (and illegible) tables
Ditto graphs
Text indistinguishable from background
Ridiculous "WordArt"
and so on....

My rules:-

Plain background (I usually use black)
Only one font (I like Roman antique)
Only two font colours (I tend to use white and orange)
Only 3 font sizes (from 44 to 28 points)
No "active" slides (God, I hate them!)
Small, nondistracting "decorations" for each slide for interest
Very little on each side, but LOTS of slides
> 10sec for each slide
Lots of pictures (only one or two on each slide)
No arrows/pointers (shouldn't be needed)
Judicious humour
Careful balancing of elements

A good presentation should balance information with a degree of entertainment

It takes a lot of time to do and is quite an art.

:ok:

[Tone]

Here are a few helpful Powerpoint tips.

YouTube - How NOT to use PowerPoint! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cagxPlVqrtM)