Powerpoint??

[intertext]

As you may guess, having been going along blithely thinking "yay - I'm going to San Francisco - this is going to be FUN," I'm now starting to suffer from pre-conference jitters.

Remembering what tree_and_leaf was doing before her recent conference paper, I was suddenly struck (and this, of course, literally at 3:00 am) by the question - is everyone going to be using Powerpoint? It's not a huge problem, if so, because I'll have my trusty LT with me and can throw something together quite easily. Only question is should I arrange some kind of adapter for my trusty Mac laptop, given that hookups to data-projectors tend, in my experience to be the old printer connections (can't remember the technical term) and not USB... or should I worry, given that this IS, after all, a huge conference in a huge hotel and no doubt they can accommodate me, or should I tip off the moderator of my panel, who did ask if I needed any special equipment... ?????

Yikes.

The last academic conference I went to was in 2001, the Virginia Woolf, in Bangor, and there wasn't a ppt in sight. But things have changed a lot since then.

Comments

[tree_and_leaf]

Don't do what I did, and take it on a data stick, assuming that a Powerpoint file will port unproblematically from Mac to Windows. All my formatting went wrong, and I lost my special characters (luckily, I checked in the lunch break before hand, so had time to fix it, but it wasn't ideal!)

I'd ask about laptop connectors. They did ask...

ETA: I don't think you absolutely need one, but I find it helpful for quotes, as people can still look at you rather than the handout. I also think it's a good idea to put up the plan of the paper/ section headings - you can put them up as you come to them. It helps people keep up! But anything is better than the sort of ppt pres where people just read the slides (not that you'd do that, but it's disturbingly common).

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

DLPs usually have a range of input options including S-video which your Mac should have. FWIW very few PC Laptops have the old RS232 connectors either these days.

[majrgenrl8.livejournal.com]

Most people still don't use powerpoint and if you didn't specify that you needed special equipment when they asked, then you can't get it now.

I always used handouts (or dvds, You should see Buffy when I'm talking about her).

[noveldevice.livejournal.com]

I took handouts. Mine last year said "We have to rent the digital projectors so don't ask unless you honestly need them!" I mean, someone in your panel might have one already, but if you haven't asked they probably haven't made provision for you.

However, you would need the little cable that came with your mac notebook that has a standard video connection on one end and a mac-friendly video connection on the other. It will hook to the regular video cord of the projector.

[inaniac.livejournal.com]

You need one of these (http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/canadastore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=MTUzNTM&fnode=home/shop_mac/mac_accessories/cables&nplm=M9320G/A).

I use mine frequently (I always take my mac to class for presentations).

On the subject of powerpoint presentations. I use keynote (the mac version). It's a bit nicer. I've also been known to use webpages in preference to powerpoint.

If you do use powerpoint, use a picture to stimulate what you want to say, rather than dot points. I hate dot points.

I should find that video on how not to use powerpoint. It's brilliant. I'll also be uploading a video based presentation for our class this week (which we lose to foos friday) and I'll link you to that if you're interested.

[lidocafe.livejournal.com]

I am writing primarily to say I have no explainable opinion on this matter and thus am useless. However, I do not doubt for a second that your genuine interest in the topic and your years of experience in front of the class will carry the day and provoke thought.

Also, haha, it strikes me as a great opener to talk about your decision to use or not to use powerpoint at the conference--interpretive community, perchance?