I thought this text was really successful.  For once someone proposed problems with something and then gave a legit, achievable solution.  In almost every paragraph, Tufte stated a problem he had with powerpoint, and then stated his solution clearly.  It was refreshing.

The only flaw I found with this is Tufte suggested a program that would be ideal, so why doesn't he use all the energy he put into writing this text and create said program?

This guy is really mad at power point. I would have to say that i agree with him powerpoint is an awful program. I liked the " just talk about your business" quote. The whole NASA incident was also a little disturbing seeing how misleading a slide presentation can be.
My question is why isnt there a better program for making presentations.

.ppt

Maybe it's just because I've been raised on Powerpoint as the primary method of certain types of presentations, but I don't see what the big deal is. It is pretty simple and I think keeping it simple is the way to go with most things. I don't think Powerpoint is the thing that makes presentations boring, it's the people presenting or the content itself. When I give a powerpoint I put basic information and elaborate verbally with interesting details, so I'm not just reading straight off of a screen. I think powerpoint has its flaws but it is easy to use and functional enough for me.

Sense is often a lonely pursuit

Tufte is right on with his criticisms of Power Point. Power Point sucks. Unfourtunately, this week I had the inane task of producing a Power Point presentation in my art history class. Our project was basically to copy information from a packet the teacher handed out and then ramble insesantly about something we all could have just read. Power Point adds nothing to the learning experience and is only successful in putting everyone in the room to sleep. I'd much rather reading an essay than blankly staring into a projection. I couldn't agree more with Tufte, I'd say the two things that annoy me most about PP presentations are: the printed versions (why waste all that paper!), and the fact that; clearly, I can read what is on the slide, yet you feel the need to read aloud to me. So now, how do we eliminate Power Point? Shall we start from the top, eliminating Microsoft? Or should we begin an underground upheaval of the system? The most appropriate action would be a public demonstration, burning PP disks and reading essays over megaphones.

I think someone has a some responisibility issues... tisk tisk

I found it "interesting" how Tufte went to all the trouble to use NASA as one of his pieces of evidence. First of all, I find it humerous how he will be so absurd as to blame PP for mistakes made by people at NASA. Really, it's PP fault why NASA workers use bigger bullets?! And everyone would have solved this problem at NASA if it wouldn't have been for those damn persuading bullets! I mean they are just so large and distracting! How could any ROCKET SCIENTIST reasn with a distraction like that!
I find Tufte abslutely absurd and he needs to go to anger management so he doesn't publish another rampage on something like toilet paper and how ridiculous it is, probably because it clogged his toilet.

Even with this ridiculously long rant...

I just don't see first of all why anyone would publish a rant on something they really don't have any back up evidence for. I am not the hugest fan of PowerPoint myself, but I don't feel the need to bitch for an entire 31 pages about it. It seems to me the more evidence Tufte tries to use, the less I believe that PP is the worst program on the planet that strips very human of creativity and intelligence.
Secondly, I am uncertain as to what the exact seperation is between actualy slides and PP. One may only pictures, and one may add text, but essentially in my head it's the same. I mean PP may be a tad cheesy, but I don't feel less creative or less intelligetn for using it.
Secretly I think Tufte tried to explain the probelms in his marriage through PP and after his wife flipped out and left his crazy ass, he held PP completely responsible.

How else should we present then?

If power point is so bad, what other methods should we use to present? Tufte never gave an answer for that. People will get board in a normal lecture a lot sooner than they will during a power point presentation. (At least with a power point presentation there are pretty visuals.)

Tufte's a bit crazy

I agree that Tufte seems to have a grudge against power point. I mean, comparing it to Soviet propaganda it taking it a bit too far. He said that the viewer doesn't get enough information from a power point presentation because it is just bullet points. But you would not write out a whole presentation on a few slides. I was always taught that you put the general idea of what you want to talk about on each slide and then you go back and explain it. Tufte is making it sound like whoever is giving a power point presentation is a complete idiot. I know that power point has its flaws (but so does any other program.) It all depends on the presenter and the audience. I just think that Tufte was over exaggerating.

jenae's ?

What other programs does PP compete with?

I find it interesting when Tufte talks about how you can never get enough information on a PP slide, because I'm pretty sure the point of PP is to make things simple and quick, yet informative. I think he hates PP way too much, and is blowing things out of proportion because it's just a computure program...he needs to chill.

This guy's "convincing lie" and "greater Truth" fooled a whole country.

A New Post for a Reborn Blog

Yay for awful tattoos. I thought the class would get a giggle out of this html-inspired ink.


It is by universal misunderstanding that all agree. For if, by ill luck, people understood each other, they would never agree.
- Charles Baudelaire.


Have a lovely week.

"manovich"

I found the Whorf-Sapir hypothesis interesting so I found some information on it.
Whorf developed the Whorf-Sapir hypothesis while studying the Hopi Indian tribe. when he found that there are not any words for past, present and future he began to think if the Hopi tribe viewed the world differently than westerners.
The Whorf-Sapir hypothesis consists of two statements that are meant to connect thought and language. Whorf has given definition to "linguistic determinism" which means that humans may only be able to think about process, objects and conditions regarding language. Whorf also believes that different cultures perceive the world in different ways, and that one's culture is determined by its language. (www.geocites.com/collegepark/4110/whorf.html_15k)

"manovich"

Manovich compared Blade Runner to Mac's GUI. he says what differentiated the two was that "decay is not tolerated" regarding Mac's GUI of 1982. However is it possible that in the future these computer systems should fail? Is it possible that the clarity and functionality regarding these computer systems may not be constant? especially when we consider that after so many years civilizations have fallen to destruction. :)

Tilly's links.

Something that makes me think
Something that makes me laugh.

Lauren Brick Is On The Internet

This makes me think

This makes me laugh:


























Thanks,
L. Brick

Kate Giggles

Things that make me laugh!

Make you think or laugh

this is a pretty cool interactive performance piece, its by a band named Lucky Dragons who also puts a large amount of their music online for free... I recommend the album Dark Falcon, its free...

http://www.hawksandsparrows.org/mab/

and you have to see the humor in this...

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

This makes me chuckle

Things that make Kate think: \\Caution// dangerous!

????Thinking?????

what's the deal with black bart simpson?

cooler or not cooler than regular bart simpson?

these kids are kinda awesome:

Alice's Links

What makes me laugh
This is a clip from Tila Tequila's Shot at Love. This is contestant is just wonderful! heygirlhey!
What makes me think.
There has been a great culture shift since the writer's strike and has caused me to think about intellectual property and what the world would be like with just reality t.v and game shows. *shudder*

Yay for the first 2 Posts for emac

If a tree falls in the woods, and no ones around to hear it, does it make a sound?



And something to make you laugh

Stimulating Eric in the brain...

Often time I like to think...

Jenae's links

something that makes me think

something that makes me laugh

Lexa says:

I'm really interested in psychology, and have recently been reading a book by Abraham Maslow. He has created a theory called the 'Hierarchy of Needs.' Check it out. I know it's a lot of reading, but read the synopsis and skim a little.




This is a little something that makes me laugh. These dinosaurs are able to make me think about serious social, and political issues as well as make me giggle. Also, what's better than a totally goofy T-Rex.

my two links

something that makes me think,
something that makes me laugh.

steph's world

i constantly think of the Age of Enlightenment
when mr. bean goes to swimming pool, makes me laugh

I'm really hoping we don't watch blade runner.

this makes me think
and this makes me laugh

Sometime I think and laugh, but most of the time I sleep.

A website that happens to make me think is Worth1000.com. It makes me think things like, "Wow" and, "I'll never be that talented", or on a rare occasion, "I can do that, on a good day."

I laugh at things like this cat.

I sleep because of things like my highschool website. Don't open it. You will fall asleep too.

Welcome

Welcome to the ea210.12 class blog.