tags: powerpoint, How NOT to use Powerpoint, humor, streaming video
Since I've been speaking and attending other people's presentations, I thought this video regarding how NOT to use Powerpoint is appropriate. Not only that, but it is funny, too -- do you recognize any speakers' techniques in this video? If so, tell me all about it -- I won't tell anyone else, I promise! [3:55]

GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist and her five parrots are currently relocating to Germany, where she will continue writing her blog while also writing a book and learning German. (Meanwhile, her parrots will continue to nibble on her extensive personal library.) If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, you can help pay her living expenses by hiring her to "blog" your conference, speak at your club or write articles for your publication (or by clicking on the Paypal button below). If you read an essay on this blog that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for inclusion in 
























Comments
But what does it say about you if you use the Comic Sans font? :)
Posted by: Scott Simmons | September 16, 2008 11:45 AM
not sure, although my colleagues all hate it. but i actually LIKE comic sans better than helvetica! so what do you suppose that says about me??
Posted by: "GrrlScientist" | September 16, 2008 11:51 AM
I have never seen a really memorable presentation that involved the use of slideware.
I'm a firm believer that anyone contemplating the use of slideware should first read Tufte:
http://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/powerpoint
By the way, the essay is well worth $7; the Tufte books are also well worth the price.
This is good, too:
http://vanrees.org/research/papers/presentations/powerpoint_poisoning.gif/view
Posted by: uqbar | September 16, 2008 12:28 PM
Grrl - there are some things you just shouldn't admit in public.
I'm amused by the way the video quality also demonstrates why you should use large text on your slides. My one criticism of the speaker is that he didn't have a laser pointer, to play read-along-a-bullet-point.
Posted by: Bob O'H | September 16, 2008 2:23 PM
thanks.
Posted by: mobilya | September 16, 2008 2:53 PM
"not sure, although my colleagues all hate it. but i actually LIKE comic sans better than helvetica! so what do you suppose that says about me??"
I'm afraid this is a clear sufficient criterion for lack of state in graphic design!
Helvetica is a beautiful character face. A documentary was made about it. Get it there: http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/3942788/Helvetica.A.Documentary.Film.by.Gary.Hustwit
Posted by: NM | September 18, 2008 9:38 AM