Starting today, users can:
* Create and keep presentations in one place on the web that's accessible anytime, from any Internet connected computer.
* Manage, update and share presentations with colleagues by sending them a simple email invitation.
* Edit together online and in real-time, or contribute at different times to the same presentation on the web.
* Present and control slide shows for all viewers over the web, with no special setup required. Chat with viewers in real-time via integrated chat.
* Import existing presentations to get started quickly.
* Quickly publish presentations to the general public or individuals of their choice.
The bad - terrible - news is that Google's Presently (as I shall insist on calling it alongside Writely and Spreadly) does *not* support OpenOffice.org's Impress format. This is incredibly stupid, since it perpetuates the idea that Powerpoint is synonymous with presentations, and that there is no other option. Come on, Google, pull that corporate finger out, puh-lease.
Presently is very basic so far; it cannot export to PowerPoint either! I'm sure Impress support will be fairly high on the agenda.
ReplyDeleteI too would like a return to the Writely and Spreadly nicknames; far more Google-ish than the bland descriptive names presently there. ;)
It will be interesting to see whether a peasants' revolt on our (blogospheric) part will lead to Google adopting the other names.
ReplyDeleteI read on Microsoft's Channel 9 that Google Presentations was made with ASP.Net technology. If true, it wouldn't surprise me that it doesn't understand OOo. I believe Google rewrote Writely in something other than .Net, so maybe they'll do the same with Presentations.
ReplyDeleteInteresting - thanks.
ReplyDelete