A question came to us the other day via Facebook direct message. It was about whether you could choose the thumbnail of a video you create from a PowerPoint slideshow (by saving as .wmv, etc.). Turns out you can’t, at least not easily and directly.
We were delighted to receive and answer the question directly, not just because we’re naturally helpful :-), but also because we hope to be authoritative on these kinds of things yet approachable enough to be asked without hesitation. Helping each other via questions and answers is at the core of what we do.
Those of us of a certain age will recall the evolution of asking for help online. Outside of AOL and CompuServe, email lists and newsgroups were among the first places to ask and answer specific technical queries. Then, as websites appeared and grew, people began offering ways to fill users’ needs. One site stood out then and continues to do so today: The PowerPoint FAQ. Hosted and curated by PG Director and Microsoft MVP Steve Rindsberg, the site remains a top portal of questions and answers about all things PowerPoint. Never been there? Type “Powerpoint questions” in your favorite search engine and see the top result. Yup, he’s that good.
Today, with faster software upgrade cycles and more version options, we need more avenues of information. The good news is we are building them. General newsgroups continue, of course, and we recommend them as a first place to look. Our contribution will be highly focused; we invite you to ask questions and contribute answers to our Presentation Guild Member Forum. We were happy to see discussions take flight during soft launch and continue to grow since official launch.
And now that we’re launched, here’s a question-and-answer session that should really move you to insight, action, and change. Nancy Duarte hardly requires an introduction. Maybe you saw her at the Presentation Summit. Maybe you own one of her books (including her latest with Patti Sanchez, Illuminate: Ignite Change Through Speeches, Stories, Ceremonies, and Symbols). Maybe you too wish to grow your business to become the largest design firm in Silicon Valley and the fifth largest female employer in that area.
Mark your calendar: on Tuesday, December 13, from 11am to noon, Eastern; PG Director and Microsoft MVP Ric Bretschneider will host an exclusive Q&A web session with Nancy. (Ric, a longtime friend and presentation industry colleague of Nancy’s, will likely add much to the conversation, given his 17 years of experience as the Program Manager for PowerPoint at Microsoft.)
You have questions. We have answers, and we have your access to those who can answer them best. Sign up now.