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Powerpoint sucks - what to use instead?
CheckUserFirst:
What about creating a Google Docs Presentation Template and then have your users create presentations based on that template?
(This is just an idea for your problem. I didn't test it)
JavaJones:
I did check out Google Docs, but I couldn't see a way to create templates. Do you know how? I did see they have several pre-defined, very simplistic templates, which might work to keep things simple in content creation. Unfortunately no way to lock down what tools can be used, so while it's not as full-featured as Powerpoint, you can do just as much damage with the tools available. ;)
- Oshyan
CheckUserFirst:
You can create a template by creating a presentation, saving it and then Create New, From template, My templates, Submit a template and select the previously created presentation.
But maybe you have already found a solution: HTML and CSS and in the end export as PDF. I think it solves most of your problems...
JavaJones:
Ah, thanks for that info about template creation. This doesn't work quite as I was hoping however. There is a template selection for an individual slide layout that you get whenever you create a new slide ("two columns", "title", "caption", "blank", etc.). I want to be able to edit *those* so that new ones can appear in that prompt. I doubt Google allows that though, it seems like a rather hard-coded function.
I agree that HTML + CSS is probably the best approach. So now the trick is finding a good authoring tool for my users. :D
- Oshyan
Jabberwock:
This might be a very long shot, but did you have a look at XML + XSL-FO?
The burden on the users would probably be the same as with HTML-CSS (or less, as you could abstract the XML structure so that it directly reflects the presentation structure), but you would have much more work... Still, it might be worth it, as it would be much more presentable (if I recall correctly, there even XML-FO to PowerPoint converters).
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