Ask HN: Your ideas about creating an alternative to PowerPoint | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Your ideas about creating an alternative to PowerPoint

3 pointsdzlobin8 comments

So we all know that there are flaws with both PowerPoint, and presentation aids in general. If you imagine the next generation of presentation aids, what are some problems that we can solve?

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If you imagine the next generation of presentation aids, what are some problems that we can solve?

Persuade users to use them less. See Edward Tufte for more on this.

http://www.edwardtufte.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0...

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.09/ppt2.html

Peter Norvig has a funny take on this too.

http://norvig.com/Gettysburg/

I mean, my original intent here was to get a conversation about re-thinking the concept of a presentation aid, not to reiterate that they are bad.

You know, I like HN for a variety of reasons but idea sharing just isn't really one of them (for me). I haven't thought about this topic nor do I care to but here's the thing: if I did care to think about it, I wouldn't dare talk anonymously to a bunch of insanely smart, DIYers who can probably out-everything me on many levels.

So no, I will not contribute. Not because I have anything personal against you, OP, but because I think it's odd to ask the question and even stranger to reply with actual, usable content.

I know that may seem strange to some but that's okay; it seems strange to me that (a) you would ask, and (b) there are people who would respond with tons of great quality ideas that could be executed by MSFT/Apple/etc in their next release thus nullifying the potential for a small company to build "the next generation of presentation aids".

This was meant to be more of a brainstorm/conversation about what we want, in a presentation aid. Not an idea-stream for MS to pick up new features. I'm not sure what the answer is, but it's likely not something PowerPoint can do.

I understand that and I do not try to just be the wet blanket all the time lol. However the fact is that big corporations do pay attention, particularly to smart people who talk about "What we want in XYZ product/package/aid/software". There's a reason many startups operate in stealth mode - they have ideas that, if they were found out by companies who spend billions on R&D, would crush them before they even made a prototype (or sue them into oblivion). It is what it is.

Worst response ever.

If it's still eligible for deleting you should do that now.

For God's sake man, you're the founder of an education resource!

Why is saying that "I don't think giving away ideas to massive corporations for free is a good idea because it ensures that startups will not be able to implement/grow those ideas" the worst response ever? This is a public forum that is monitored by who knows who - anyone looking for R&D could monitor this board for ideas. Who is the OP? His profile says, "student @ Hunter College" but his account was created 16 days ago. How do you know he/she doesn't work for MSFT/Apple and is just trying to get the HN community to do his/her work for them?

I think you are off on this one and, if there was an award for "Best overreaction of the day", I'd nominate your post.

I don't see a lot of "flaws" with Powerpoint because its functionality is very simple.

I would say there are 4 key components to presentation:

1. predetermined agenda/topics for discussion (what people use powerpoint for)

2. ad-hoc discussion (whiteboards are a great tool for this)

3. verbal communication (in-person or phone)

4. non-verbal communication (in person or video)

To beat powerpoint in functionality, just have #1 + (2 and/or 3 and/or 4).

To beat powerpoint in marketshare...?

Also keep in mind that 3 and 4 are largely being met with products like gotomeeting or webex (and others). No one is encompassing all four as far as I know, so there could be something there.

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