Well known Prezi.com, is very convenient and accessible instrument for work with presentations. Also, using multifunctional blog.prezi.com, you can print out your presentation. The only thing about this tool is that it’s quite complicated and takes time to learn. But usually there is no need for such detailed and precious job. Well, is there an alternative to this issue? Yes — PptPlex.
At first, we wanted to name this post as «Prezi is dead!», because PptPlex has more potential for everyday job. PptPlex is simplified version of Prezi that uses common tools.
Its basic target is to show following/previous slides in presentation, as well as main slide, which shows all other slides. It’s valuable during long presentations, that consists of sections or, for example, when explaining
- a complex multifunctional process
- a complicated object and its details
- situation in different countries with different geography
The logic of such presentations is:
title slide -> overview of whole presentation -> overview of the section -> slide — slide — slide -> overview of the section -> slide — slide…
To use the plugin, msi-extention is needed for MS Office. Then, «pptPlex» will be added to the panel.
The are only three basic buttons:
- Add «section separator». When pressed, a hidden slide will insert with special markings, from which only the title is taken. This title will be heading for the section of future animation.
- Add background. With such motion that «overview» slide — all slides and sections on it, shows as first slide of the presentation. The background can be anything — logo, pre-drawn diagram, or any other image
- and finally start the presentation («from first slide», «from current slide»)
During the presentation itself, you can zoom in and out to any part of the presentation using the wheel on the mouse. You can also zoom into the fragment with left double-click, or zoom out the fragment by right double-click.
Lets look at the example of RuNet Map.
What do we need to get:
at first, we show the main map to the user -> concentrate on the section -> explain every single segment on the map
- Insert four consecutive slides: general image; the image, which is a part of the matrix card; and the images of two segments
- Between the overall picture, and part of the matrix card, insert «section separator». Slides 3 and 4 are now classified to this section. Correct the title of the section
- Add the background ( «background» button). All available slides in the presentation is inserted there automatically. Place a «section separator» with the image of the matrix so that it’s exactly over the desired part on the general image
- Done! Run the show and enjoy.
There are almost no animation effects flowing from slide to slide — but we didn’t come for that. The main thing is that you can easily send the document to all, even who have not installed PptPlex — they will see a familiar PowerPoint document. If PptPlex will not be installed — do not worry, «service» slides will not be displayed, and presentation will take place only in standard mode, with no extra-animations.
Если кому-то злой админ не будет разрешать установить, скажите магические слова: «живет полностью в рамках Вашего компьютере, никуда в сеть не ходит, и был создан командой microsoft office labs».
If an evil admin will not allow you to set any changes to your PC, say these magic words: «lives completely within your PC, does not go anywhere in the network, and was created by a team of microsoft office labs «.
Link to the official website. Here you can download the application.
Official demo version:
And examples from Youtube for motivation.
Working with the presentation gets an extra dimension of freedom. Oh, by the way, Windows only, and version not lower than Office 2007.