reunion info distribution

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  1. Posts : 24
    win7 64 bit home premium
       #1

    reunion info distribution


    Need advice on (inexpensive) software and approaches to use to distribute
    pictures and information to classmates regarding our reunion and other info. Might
    like something similar to a yearbook format, which could be distributed as email attachment,
    or via CDs thru the mail to the classmates, many of whom are computer illiterate.
    (we're talking 50th h.s. reunion here).

    Considered PowerPoint but I have win7 64-bit and I'm afraid those who have older systems would have troubles. Plus I'd have to get into telling everyone about the PP-viewer available from MS, for those who don't have PowerPoint on their computer.
    Thanks, Chuck
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 5,795
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #2

    ChuckN said:
    Considered PowerPoint but I have win7 64-bit and I'm afraid those who have older systems would have troubles.
    What does that have to do with them using older systems? PowerPoint can save in previous formats if needed, and the fact you have an x64 OS means nothing to PowerPoint or discs you'd create.

    I also believe that PowerPoint has a feature where you can burn a presentation to a disc with the viewer already included. If so, you can then add any other files or documents you needed to, and send off the copies.
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  3. Posts : 11
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
       #3

    Even with the PowerPoint "Package for CD" feature, it can still be a little buggy. It uses the autorun of Windows to launch a small version of the PowerPoint viewer, then launches your presentation. That'd be the best way to use Powerpoint. I do not recommend trying to send everyone a PPT file. You can set PowerPoint to automatically save as PPT files instead of PPTX files like the new 2007 does. Microsoft screwed up with that docx, xlsx, and pptx stuff.

    I don't know if PowerPoint is the best way, though. I would say something like a spreadsheet printed out and mailed. Isn't that the best way you old fogeys like to do things? (haha I'm sorry, I had to go there) Most grandchildren have at least got their grandparents on with an XP machine and email, haven't they? At least they have a CD-drive, so maybe the PowerPoint idea isn't so bad after all.
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  4. Posts : 5,795
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #4

    Skyroket said:
    Microsoft screwed up with that docx, xlsx, and pptx stuff.
    I don't think so, especially in terms of the business world. My company deals with a lot of schools, and at this point, I have little sympathy for any organization who has an IT staff, and doesn't have the ability to handle the new formats. I completely understand that these schools don't have the money for new Office versions, even though they get them dirt cheap....but the add-in viewer to allow Office 2003 to handle the files is completely free. I have a standard form e-mail that goes out to these schools showing them the links to download and install the viewers...so they can be given to their technical person.

    On top of that, the new formats are generally smaller files that open faster. We routinely have PowerPoint presentations that are in the 25 MB range, than when saved as pptx files, are often 2/3 to 3/4 of the original size.
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  5. Posts : 11
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
       #5

    DeaconFrost said:
    Skyroket said:
    Microsoft screwed up with that docx, xlsx, and pptx stuff.
    I don't think so, especially in terms of the business world.
    I guess that's the main difference. I was envisioning all the problems I've seen with people and their home computers. I've seen my fair share of people who don't know how to use the new formats in the business world, but it seemed far more prevalent with personal computers at home. "How come my son can't open these files?" "Why isn't anyone else able to open the neighborhood contact list?" It's getting better now that they're putting the starter version on essentially all new Windows computers, but it was BAD for awhile.

    I felt like Microsoft was kinda admitting just that when they released the free converter.
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  6. Posts : 24
    win7 64 bit home premium
    Thread Starter
       #6

    [QUOTE=DeaconFrost;1270109]
    ChuckN said:
    What does that have to do with them using older systems? PowerPoint can save in previous formats if needed, and the fact you have an x64 OS means nothing to PowerPoint or discs you'd create.
    sure, PowerPoint can save in various formats, but if you''re sending out
    a copy to each of 100 people, how do you know which format to send to
    which person? I suppose I could survey everyone, and custom make batches
    for each version. Lotsa muckin' around.

    -Chuck
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 24
    win7 64 bit home premium
    Thread Starter
       #7

    [QUOTE=DeaconFrost;1270109]
    ChuckN said:
    I also believe that PowerPoint has a feature where you can burn a presentation to a disc with the viewer already included. If so, you can then add any other files or documents you needed to, and send off the copies.
    The way PPT used to be is you could save as PPT file or PPS file. If PPT, a person could not only execute it, but could alter it, within their PowerPoint program. If PPS, the viewer would only permit execution.
    I don't think I can distribute one PPT demo to to be executed on various Windows systems.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 5,795
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #8

    Not really. When we suspect that e-mails are going out to non-internal people, we still save it as the old format just to be sure....but it is still an annoying process. The same goes for any "portable" format. When we save files as PDFs and send them out...we still have schools write back asking what they need to open the PDF file. Adobe Reader has been free for well over a decade.

    It always brings to mind the saying "when you make it idiot-proof, along comes a better idiot".

    No matter how "universal" you make a file...someone, somewhere will always fail to handle it.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 5,795
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #9

    From my little experience with .pps files, I think you would be correct, that they could view only, and not be able to edit the file. I don't have any computers without PowerPoint, so I'm not sure if a .pps file would play on a system without. I thought they did, but that's just a guess on my part.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 24
    win7 64 bit home premium
    Thread Starter
       #10

    DeaconFrost said:
    From my little experience with .pps files, I think you would be correct, that they could view only, and not be able to edit the file. I don't have any computers without PowerPoint, so I'm not sure if a .pps file would play on a system without. I thought they did, but that's just a guess on my part.
    If you build a PPT presentation and send it to someone who does not have PPT on their machine, they need to download a free viewer from MS, which allows viewing only. (I guess that's why they call it a Viewer).
      My Computer


 
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