cearta.ie

Sliding into oblivion

Via Technollama and Sound and Fury, I learn of the following Mark Gertz commentary on PowerPoint:

Image: Along the top, a presenter using PowerPoint to an unenthused audience.
Caption: Every time you make a PowerPoint, Edward Tufte kills a kitten.


And this image reminds me of Dilbert‘s perspective:

First panel: Dilbert says: As you can clearly see in slide 397 …
Second panel: Two audience members are asleep, a third screams: “GAAAAH!” and collapses.
Third panel: The collapse is explained as “Powerpoint poisoning”.


My favourite example of powerpoint poisoning is provided by the Gettysburg Powerpoint Presentation; here’s the Review of Key Objectives & Critical Success Factors:

Image: Over-fussy PowerPoint slide, headed: Review of Key Objectives & Critical Success Factors

First bullet: What makes nation unique:
- Conceived in Liberty
- Men are equal

Second bullet: Shared vision:
- New birth of freedom
- Gov’t of/for/by the people

I also rather like Alex Gregory’s PowerPoint cartoon for The New Yorker (via Call me Cassandra’s Death by PowerPoint series):

Image: Satan sitting behind a big desk, opposite a junior devil
Caption: Satan says: I need someone well versed in the art of torture – do you know PowerPoint?


It all amounts to death by powerpoint presentation:

Image: Hooded executioner sitting at a desk, pointing to a PowerPoint slide hanging from a gallows; the victim sits on a stool looking at the slide.