Microsoft Office PowerPoint 12
As part of Microsoft codename Office 12, the new PowerPoint offers some nice new features that gives it a better look and feel, but most importantly the program is very user friendly and simpler to use.
The best improvement in this version of PowerPoint is the way of accessing the slide animations. In Office 2000 and earlier, users were required to right-click each image or text, or select the item from a list - but nobody knew what corresponded with what. In Office 2003, the custom animation appeared in a panel to the left of the screen, as did the help menu, clip art and others. You had virtually no control when it would appear or disappear. It was also reasonably difficult to access. In PowerPoint 12, the custom animation settings have been integrated into Microsoft Office’s new toolbar system that replaces all the drop-down selections to a settings toolbar at the top of the window. This never changes unless it assists you in other activities.
A great improvement in PowerPoint is that keyboard shortcuts are displayed when the Alt key is pressed. Previously, they have been displayed in the drop-down options at the top. The problem was that by the time you had made your selection, you already performed the action the long way. This new system teaches the user what the shortcuts are before the action has taken place, enhancing your experience and mastering your skills.
PowerPoint 12 has new backgrounds and templates, as well as a new set of fonts and themes. It gives the people you are presenting to a fresh new experience. Finally, audio and video is far more easy to integrate into a presentation than it has been in previous versions.
Users of the last few versions of PowerPoint should not feel compelled to upgrade to PowerPoint 12 when it comes available as there are not enough new features and improvements for the price you would be paying. Of course, if you are purchasing a new PC or have a very old version of Office (such as 97 or 2000) it is worth the upgrade.
Edit: Added to Microsoft category.
