Cross Platform Challenges

[Tracy Thoman]

Hello,
Love this list!

I've been tasked with developing a presentation that
1) needs to be cross platform, targeted for slightly older machines on both
sides than current technology
2) self running on the client side
3) can be interactive with menus to install, say, QuickTime or something
else is necessary
4) working from Windows XP environment with 2000/Adobe Premiere/Cleaner XL.

This presentation will contain two video clips. I'm pretty PowerPoint
savvy on the pc side, but throwing in the mac side as a part of the
requirements, I'm wondering what that introduces other than considerations
for video encoding approach and player accessibility from the CD...

Here are my constraints, considerations:
- clients are very computer illiterate; the least I have them do all the
better
- can bet on them not having PowerPoint installed, thus no viewer
- can also bet they don't have QuickTime installed on the mac side, much
less the most current version of Windows Media Player
- my goal is to make this totally as self-contained as possible so they can
if possible just put the CD in the drive and go (both mac and PC sides).
I'm familiar mainly with PC side on this, but don't know about mac.

Do you think this is achievable? or do I need to approach these as two
separate projects, one for PC self-running and another for Mac self-running?
And am wondering if so for mac self-running, what the process is for
accomplishing that.

Many thanks in advance,
Tracy
Presentation Developer, OraMetrix, Inc.

 

[Brian Reilly, MS MVP]

Tracy,
Wow, I handle a lot of very complex projects and am glad I don't have
this one in front of me at the moment. This group will give you a lot
of different perspectives and opinions for you to choose from. Good
luck.

My personal perspective here would be to probably not use PPT, and I
code VBA in both Windows and sometimes in Mac versions. The issues I
see are mostly related to the Video issues and the non-PPT installed
machines. Not doing this sort of thing I might consider, if I were
doing it myself, something like Flash which should create a more
complex published final file but one with more cross platform (read
that video) capabiltity.

One of the few times I recommend not using PPT. Let's see what others
think.

Brian Reilly, PowerPoint MVP
PPT Live Featured Speaker, www.PPTLive.com

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

One of the few times I recommend not using PPT. Let's see what others
think.

You must be utterly and completely wrong about this because I agree totally.
And you know I'm never Wright.

 

[Adam Crowley]

Add me to the queue of agreeers. How many other words have 3 consecutive
eees?

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Add me to the queue of agreeers. How many other words have 3 consecutive
eees?

If you're an agreeer, does that make Brian an agreeee? Four trumps three.

 

[John Reiher]

Hello,
Love this list!

I've been tasked with developing a presentation that
1) needs to be cross platform, targeted for slightly older machines on both
sides than current technology
2) self running on the client side
3) can be interactive with menus to install, say, QuickTime or something
else is necessary
4) working from Windows XP environment with 2000/Adobe Premiere/Cleaner XL.

This presentation will contain two video clips. I'm pretty PowerPoint
savvy on the pc side, but throwing in the mac side as a part of the
requirements, I'm wondering what that introduces other than considerations
for video encoding approach and player accessibility from the CD...

Here are my constraints, considerations:
- clients are very computer illiterate; the least I have them do all the
better
- can bet on them not having PowerPoint installed, thus no viewer

This can be the biggest hurdle, since the most current viewer does't
support the latest features in PPT. Especially on the Mac side.

- can also bet they don't have QuickTime installed on the mac side, much
less the most current version of Windows Media Player

Well, yes they do have Quicktime, but what version of Quicktime? If they
are running OS 9, then they have QT 5, if they are on OS X, probably QT
6.

- my goal is to make this totally as self-contained as possible so they can
if possible just put the CD in the drive and go (both mac and PC sides).
I'm familiar mainly with PC side on this, but don't know about mac.

Do you think this is achievable? or do I need to approach these as two
separate projects, one for PC self-running and another for Mac self-running?
And am wondering if so for mac self-running, what the process is for
accomplishing that.

Yes, but you have to do it on the Mac side, with the following
restrictions:

1. No multiple templates.
2. No multiple color schemes.
3. No fancy animations or transitions. In fact, use QuickTime
transitions if at all possible.

You can create the presentation on the PC, that's no problem, just don't
use any of the advanced features of PPT 2002/XP. Then you take it a Mac
with PPT X and all the lastest updates installed, and then save the
presentation as a PowerPoint Movie. It's a special form of QuickTime,
but QT 5 or later will handle it. It does mean that people on Windows
machines have to have QT for windows installed.

It will support hyperlinks, and a couple of other features, make a short
one to find out what will and won't work. Testing will save you hours of
needless work.

Many thanks in advance,
Tracy
Presentation Developer, OraMetrix, Inc.

--
The Kedamono Dragon
PowerPoint MVP
Pull Pinky's favorite words to email me.
http://www.ahtg.net
Have Mac, will Compute

Check out the PowerPointers Shop at:
http://www.cafeshops.com/PowerPointers

 

[Tracy Thoman]

Well, here's to all the agreers and agreees!
Thanks EVERYONE for your replies, tips, thoughts and guidance. I really
appreciate it - this list rocks.

Thanks again,
Tracy

 

[Echo S]

If you're an agreeer, does that make Brian an agreeee? Four trumps three.
<g>

Heh, I'll make it a fourth.

 

[Glen Millar]

Hi,

Bookkeeper is the only word with three sets of double letters.

What is 3 pairs worth <g>?

--
Regards,

Glen Millar
Microsoft PPT MVP
http://www.powerpointworkbench.com/
Please tell us your ppt version, and get back to us here