Slides That Don’t Quite Work

by Thomas VanDrunen, Tarez Graban, and a host of others concerned about PowerPoint abuse

PowerPoints that are BAD(which means “rhetorically ineffective”)

no contrastgoofy sounds

HTML• A subset or SGML, or “standard generalized markup language”• Stands for “hypertext markup language”• Hypertext is any text formatted to have hyperlinks, text that if clicked upon bring you

to another document• HTML is very easy to write• HTML is into version 4 now• HTML has a standard, but various browsers (Explorer, Safari, Netscape, Mozilla,

FireFox) tend to actually accept their own version of it• Excessive bullet points or bulleted lists on a plain white background in an

illegible font can be a drag to read – have mercy on your reader!• Uses tags, such as <em>, <b>, etc, to set apart text to be formatted in a certain way• Tags also are used to make lists• Tables are a useful feature for text formatting• HTML easily incorporates graphics and pictures• HTML allows structuring of the document using headings• Few people write in HTML directly anymore because programs like MS Word so

easily produce HTML documents.

PHPPHP

PHP is a programming language that’s used mostly for PHP is a programming language that’s used mostly for building web sites. Instead of a PHP programming building web sites. Instead of a PHP programming running on a desktop computer for the use of one running on a desktop computer for the use of one person, it typically runs on a web server and is person, it typically runs on a web server and is accessed by lots of people using web browsers on accessed by lots of people using web browsers on their own computers.their own computers.

David Sklar, David Sklar, Learning PHP 5Learning PHP 5.. While this is all very fascinating, you may want to avoid While this is all very fascinating, you may want to avoid

these “standard” templates and backgrounds and these “standard” templates and backgrounds and create your own designs that are more relevant to create your own designs that are more relevant to your argument!your argument!

• PHP is a programming language that’s used mostly for PHP is a programming language that’s used mostly for building web sites. Instead of a PHP programming building web sites. Instead of a PHP programming running on a desktop computer for the use of one running on a desktop computer for the use of one person, it typically runs on a web server and is person, it typically runs on a web server and is accessed by lots of people using web browsers on accessed by lots of people using web browsers on their own computers.their own computers.

• David Sklar, David Sklar, Learning PHP 5Learning PHP 5.. • No, this isn’t much better!No, this isn’t much better!

Disconnected and random Disconnected and random animation …animation … … … for example, manipulating for example, manipulating

images to create an obscure images to create an obscure design effect, can be …design effect, can be …

… … a reala real

problem …

… … just like images that just like images that have nothing to do with have nothing to do with your argument!your argument!

unreflectively cluttered

PHP PHP

Manipulate cookies…

But don’t be stuckWith cookie-cutter solutions

Web pages canbe dynamic

PHP is freeas in money

…and free as in…

…free speech

PHP is …

“cross platform”

It’s widely used on the web

manipulate

data

Or they can be with stock clip art!

PHP-- history

It’s a programming language, got

it?

Aim for simple, clear, and even “elegant” over flashy,

garish, or blinding (which can occur when combining colors that are too close to one other

on the color wheel).

red on black doesn’t always work either …

Perhaps there are too many words …

… so many words that the point of what was to be said is lost like a wayward sheep on its way to the slaughterhouse. Slaughter House 5 is a darn good book ya know? You really should change the oil in your car every 3000 miles. It will improve your gas mileage and make your engine last longer. Which lasts longer? Harry Potter or Star Wars episode 2? Some people waited in line for that movie way too long. This is so much information that I had to shrink the font to make it fit. And that reminds me … I had a shirt that fit too tight in the shoulders.

… or graphics that don’t match the slide!!

Problem(!): Images acquired from a proprietary source without permission or credits … especially when they still have their “tags”.

(Now wasn’t that annoying to watch?)