Converting your PowerPoint presentations to DVD is kind of like baking a cake over a campfire. It was never intended for that use, but who knows, maybe you'll get lucky. Since that was never PowerPoint's intended use, you are simply hoping the bolt-on DVD export option will work, and that you don't have too much fanciness (multi-media, music, audio clips, animation, etc.) that might throw off an otherwise "possible" conversion.
Typically, if I know my end format is DVD, I try to produce with that in mind. That means starting in a program that is intended to output DVDs. Flash can work, iMovie can work, or, here's a thought... iDVD (MovieMaker in windows). I'd strongly suggest FinalCut Express, but if you are not using any kind of video, obviously those tools are unneccessary (but if you're not using video, why do you need a DVD? Those are the questions I ask that tend to make people hate me, so lets push forward to some recommendations).
If it's not clear already, I am not an expert on PowerPoint to DVD conversion, so I would welcome anyone to post their own insights, but for the time being, I have come across some third party software that seems to serve the market of folks who have something in PowerPoint that they want to play on their DVD player:
Wondershare offers PPT2DVD:
http://www.ppt-to-dvd.com/ppt2dvd/whats-new05.html
Here's an unverified free trial of that software:
http://www.allformp3.com/powerpoint-dvd-maker/
My best advice is to always have your output in mind when you create something. While Microsoft has done a great job adding functionality to Office products like Word and PowerPoint, those are typically almost good enough for casual use, but rarely get the job done for your clients.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Type 1 Diabetes Group Started in Omaha
Hello, All. There's a new group in Omaha to join if you're over 18 and have Type 1 Diabetes. It's the first group in the area for adults with Type 1 Diabetes. Become a part of something that is entertaining, educational, collaborative, and can lead to lifelong friendships. Members are encouraged to blog about anything Diabetes related. Health, Diet, Exercise, Problems, A1C, and other issues.
This link will always be found under the "Random Links" section of my blog. Please feel free to pass it on to friends and family who may have an interest. thanks!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Cost Cutting is a Mentality Not a Strategy
"Whenever I read about some company undertaking a cost cutting program, I know it's not a company that really knows what costs are about. The really good manager does not wake up in the morning and say 'This is the day I'm going to cut costs,' any more than he wakes up and decides to practice breathing."
- Warren Buffett
In my line of work, we are constantly coming across firms whose top priority is cutting costs. Obviously to a tech company providing web application development, and trying to push the limits of what is possible on the web, this isn't exactly music to our ears - but it should be.
A member of management once asked me, "Ben, how can we cut costs?" He brought up great ideas like double checking with two or three vendors before a print project, or challenging our assumptions on expenses of signage, banners, conference materials, etc. Even the concept of shutting down computers and turning off the lights came up.
These were all valid ideas, and I was initially surpised (and a little dissapointed) in myself for not being able to rattle a list of ten cost saving ideas off the top of my head. But the more I thought about what things would really make a difference, the more I realized that, unlike good design or other great inventions, saving money doesn't come out of a flurry of short-term necessity. It comes from people who practice it way before management tells them to.
It was then that I realized I had been cutting costs, for about the last ten years. As far as marketing budget, I have made a reputation for being a practicing meiser with my company's money (which isn't always a good thing). For example, out of 100 or so people in our firm, it turns out my laptop is the oldest one currently in use. That's not even among the power users, that's all employees. My other laptop (the Macbook Pro) is three years old. I've rebuilt it myself four or five times, including Windows XP and Vista virtual machines each time. I'm not going to say I'm the companies biggest time-saver, because it consumes hours to be your own tech support, but as far as costs... And what about software? Probably half the software I use is free, open source problem-solving shareware (fine, the other half is the entire Adobe Design suite, and Microsoft's entire MSDN library of software - but we still get a great deal on those licenses!). Yeah, overall, I'd say I've been practicing what you are now preaching.
A case in point - IT asked everyone to turn off all devices at night, not just computers. This means monitors, printers, etc. I went a step further and offered, "Employees should use power strips, since we all know that even if your monitor (for example) is turned off, it still draws juice from a standard outlet. Multiply that by all employees (two monitors for many) and over a year, I'll bet that would make a measurable impact." Of course that's a non-issue in my case. I bought mine myself. Well, obviously that idea got laughed at as "a little over the top." I guess I thought that kind of thinking was what really affected the bottom line, but it would seem that me and my friend Warren are in the minority here (I think the above quote is worth repeating):
"Whenever I read about some company undertaking a cost cutting program, I know it's not a company that really knows what costs are about. The really good manager does not wake up in the morning and say 'This is the day I'm going to cut costs,' any more than he wakes up and decides to practice breathing."
- Warren Buffett
OK, my own self pandering asside, there are still plenty of things I can do. For an example that I think will really blow your mind, see my post about the Industrial Revolution of Data about how Google will bring us analytics about our own energy usage through their smart PowerMeter application.
But, for the time being, I should focus on my job, which, if you remember the beginning of this article, is helping business owners learn how to approach their design projects with a cost cutting mentality. That way, when they find that management finally catches up, they know the fad will pass, but good practices will drive the company forward.
- Warren Buffett
In my line of work, we are constantly coming across firms whose top priority is cutting costs. Obviously to a tech company providing web application development, and trying to push the limits of what is possible on the web, this isn't exactly music to our ears - but it should be.
A member of management once asked me, "Ben, how can we cut costs?" He brought up great ideas like double checking with two or three vendors before a print project, or challenging our assumptions on expenses of signage, banners, conference materials, etc. Even the concept of shutting down computers and turning off the lights came up.
These were all valid ideas, and I was initially surpised (and a little dissapointed) in myself for not being able to rattle a list of ten cost saving ideas off the top of my head. But the more I thought about what things would really make a difference, the more I realized that, unlike good design or other great inventions, saving money doesn't come out of a flurry of short-term necessity. It comes from people who practice it way before management tells them to.
It was then that I realized I had been cutting costs, for about the last ten years. As far as marketing budget, I have made a reputation for being a practicing meiser with my company's money (which isn't always a good thing). For example, out of 100 or so people in our firm, it turns out my laptop is the oldest one currently in use. That's not even among the power users, that's all employees. My other laptop (the Macbook Pro) is three years old. I've rebuilt it myself four or five times, including Windows XP and Vista virtual machines each time. I'm not going to say I'm the companies biggest time-saver, because it consumes hours to be your own tech support, but as far as costs... And what about software? Probably half the software I use is free, open source problem-solving shareware (fine, the other half is the entire Adobe Design suite, and Microsoft's entire MSDN library of software - but we still get a great deal on those licenses!). Yeah, overall, I'd say I've been practicing what you are now preaching.
A case in point - IT asked everyone to turn off all devices at night, not just computers. This means monitors, printers, etc. I went a step further and offered, "Employees should use power strips, since we all know that even if your monitor (for example) is turned off, it still draws juice from a standard outlet. Multiply that by all employees (two monitors for many) and over a year, I'll bet that would make a measurable impact." Of course that's a non-issue in my case. I bought mine myself. Well, obviously that idea got laughed at as "a little over the top." I guess I thought that kind of thinking was what really affected the bottom line, but it would seem that me and my friend Warren are in the minority here (I think the above quote is worth repeating):
"Whenever I read about some company undertaking a cost cutting program, I know it's not a company that really knows what costs are about. The really good manager does not wake up in the morning and say 'This is the day I'm going to cut costs,' any more than he wakes up and decides to practice breathing."
- Warren Buffett
OK, my own self pandering asside, there are still plenty of things I can do. For an example that I think will really blow your mind, see my post about the Industrial Revolution of Data about how Google will bring us analytics about our own energy usage through their smart PowerMeter application.
But, for the time being, I should focus on my job, which, if you remember the beginning of this article, is helping business owners learn how to approach their design projects with a cost cutting mentality. That way, when they find that management finally catches up, they know the fad will pass, but good practices will drive the company forward.
Monday, March 16, 2009
The Industrial Revolution of Data
My next genius blog idea was going to be a discussion about when tech becomes mainstream, sifting through the "next big thing" vs. the "next big nothing." Bear with me here, but I believe the point at which a technology becomes profitable is not when it becomes popular. In fact, far after that first push (thats when it becomes popular) and people start asking - but how does this make any money? An example of this is Gary Vaynerchuk's How will Twitter Monetize?
Google is another perfect example of a company who, even well after its 2004 IPO (where Google initially set their stock price at $85, to close that day over $100) folks continue to ask - but how do they make money?
You might say "advertising" and leave it at that. And you would be as right as you are vague - but right nonetheless. While that's the second most common way to make money (right behind selling something), the longer winded answer is much more interesting to me. And it's the one that gives us a real insight into the long-term plans of some of these corporate geniuses.
So what are these guys really up to?
When you look at the standards that these organizations build upon in their "spare time," the Hadoop MapReduce project comes up. So, What is it?
MapReduce is a programming paradigm that expresses a large distributed computation as a sequence of distributed operations on data sets of key/value pairs.
Huh?
The Hadoop MapReduce framework harnesses a cluster of machines and executes user defined Map/Reduce jobs across the nodes in the cluster. A MapReduce computation has two phases, a map phase and a reduce phase. The input to the computation is a data set of key/value pairs.
Huh?
A perfect example is Google's PowerMeter program, which aims to give us all a tool to measure our own energy consumption, ideally leading to lower bills and a lower collective carbon footprint. Google estimates that with access to personal energy information, each family could save 10-15% a month on energy consumption costs. The practical application from Google is to answer questions like: How much does it cost to leave your TV on all day? What about turning your air conditioning 1 degree cooler? Which uses more power every month — your fridge or your dishwasher? Is your household more or less energy efficient than similar homes in your neighborhood?
The question of "why would Google provide this information?" is answered only by imagining just how they can use the data. Keep in mind, for every bit of data Google reports to you and me, it's data they are archiving, parsing and crunching for their own use elsewhere. Besides that, this so-called "Smart Grid" of power appears to be a joint effort between Google and GE. No one said it was going to be free to join.
Google is another perfect example of a company who, even well after its 2004 IPO (where Google initially set their stock price at $85, to close that day over $100) folks continue to ask - but how do they make money?
You might say "advertising" and leave it at that. And you would be as right as you are vague - but right nonetheless. While that's the second most common way to make money (right behind selling something), the longer winded answer is much more interesting to me. And it's the one that gives us a real insight into the long-term plans of some of these corporate geniuses.
So what are these guys really up to?
When you look at the standards that these organizations build upon in their "spare time," the Hadoop MapReduce project comes up. So, What is it?
MapReduce is a programming paradigm that expresses a large distributed computation as a sequence of distributed operations on data sets of key/value pairs.
Huh?
The Hadoop MapReduce framework harnesses a cluster of machines and executes user defined Map/Reduce jobs across the nodes in the cluster. A MapReduce computation has two phases, a map phase and a reduce phase. The input to the computation is a data set of key/value pairs.
Huh?
A perfect example is Google's PowerMeter program, which aims to give us all a tool to measure our own energy consumption, ideally leading to lower bills and a lower collective carbon footprint. Google estimates that with access to personal energy information, each family could save 10-15% a month on energy consumption costs. The practical application from Google is to answer questions like: How much does it cost to leave your TV on all day? What about turning your air conditioning 1 degree cooler? Which uses more power every month — your fridge or your dishwasher? Is your household more or less energy efficient than similar homes in your neighborhood?
The question of "why would Google provide this information?" is answered only by imagining just how they can use the data. Keep in mind, for every bit of data Google reports to you and me, it's data they are archiving, parsing and crunching for their own use elsewhere. Besides that, this so-called "Smart Grid" of power appears to be a joint effort between Google and GE. No one said it was going to be free to join.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Microsoft Process Explorer
Windows Process Explorer (download here) is an excellent utility to see information about what processes have a hold of files on your machine. It's most useful when you get strange errors with files, or are unable to save, edit, open or otherwise act on a file or folder.
When my computer is freezing up or even running slower than I think it should, my first instinct is usually to open task manager (hit CTL+ALT+DEL) and sort processes by memory usage, then start using the "End Process" button like the trigger on my XBox controller. The problem with this approach is not knowing exactly which processes I am stopping, more importantly, how to fix it through the next reboot.
I like the Process Explorer Utility because it allows you to take the opposite approach by finding the file or application that's giving you trouble, then locating which service has the lock on it. You can then go in much more surgically to the single source of the problem and stop it directly.
Additionally, when you can identify a service that is both problematic and unneccessary, you can go in to your Services Window (Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services) and disable them by choosing either "Manual" or "Disabled" status.
Here's the link to Microsoft's site where you can read more or download the program:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/processexplorer.mspx
Enjoy!
When my computer is freezing up or even running slower than I think it should, my first instinct is usually to open task manager (hit CTL+ALT+DEL) and sort processes by memory usage, then start using the "End Process" button like the trigger on my XBox controller. The problem with this approach is not knowing exactly which processes I am stopping, more importantly, how to fix it through the next reboot.
I like the Process Explorer Utility because it allows you to take the opposite approach by finding the file or application that's giving you trouble, then locating which service has the lock on it. You can then go in much more surgically to the single source of the problem and stop it directly.
Additionally, when you can identify a service that is both problematic and unneccessary, you can go in to your Services Window (Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services) and disable them by choosing either "Manual" or "Disabled" status.
Here's the link to Microsoft's site where you can read more or download the program:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/processexplorer.mspx
Enjoy!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Flash Video Streaming and IIS
One problem that plagues Flash video development is when it simply won't work in production the way it does in development. In later articles, I'll go further into depth on getting it to work at all in Flash, but this article is for you if your .swf is properly streaming video locally, but hits a brick wall when you try and run it out on production.
The obvious thing to check is that you have your .swf and .flv files published to your Web server along with correct path(s) in your Flash file. So, if you truly think everything is in order and still can't get it working, open up IIS and read on.
From your IIS panel, Right+Click your Web site and select "Properties." Choose the "HTTP Headers" tab and look in the "MIME mapping" section for the "File Types" button.
From the "File Types" window you'll need to add a New Type, where you'll have two fields to enter. Carefully enter the following:
Associated extension = ".FLV"
Content type (MIME) = "flv-application/octet-stream"
Hit "OK" and your results will appear in the Registered file types window, like this:
Of course there are many reasons for Flash Video projects to fail, but I found this one particularly elusive, thus worth mentioning. Please feel free to post additional problems/solutions and I'll expand this tutorial further.
The obvious thing to check is that you have your .swf and .flv files published to your Web server along with correct path(s) in your Flash file. So, if you truly think everything is in order and still can't get it working, open up IIS and read on.
From your IIS panel, Right+Click your Web site and select "Properties." Choose the "HTTP Headers" tab and look in the "MIME mapping" section for the "File Types" button.
From the "File Types" window you'll need to add a New Type, where you'll have two fields to enter. Carefully enter the following:
Associated extension = ".FLV"
Content type (MIME) = "flv-application/octet-stream"
Hit "OK" and your results will appear in the Registered file types window, like this:
Of course there are many reasons for Flash Video projects to fail, but I found this one particularly elusive, thus worth mentioning. Please feel free to post additional problems/solutions and I'll expand this tutorial further.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Internet Speed Test - Know your Broadband Connection Speed
I'll bet you and I have one thing in common when it comes to our internet service... the bill. But despite the $40/month we all pay across the board for "high-speed" internet (what's that you say? You only pay $30? Well aren't you the clever little bundler. Now pat yourself on the back and keep reading), the similarities typically end there.
Finding out the connection speed of your computer to the internet is, in my opinion, very important to know. Your internet speed is not directly tied to your provider (despite what cartoon spokesmen tell you on TV), so it is important to regularly find out for yourself just what kind of upload/download speed you are paying for.
I find it even more important if you are trying to accomplish actual work from home via FTP, Citrix, VPN or simply getting your CEO's latest six-tab spreadsheet of sales figures through Web mail.
I'll briefly discuss a few free online tools I find useful, www.speakeasy.com, www.speedtest.net and www.toast.net.
** NOTE ** I'm making this addition to the article after its original publication. I recently found www.speakeasy.com, which is extremely useful, accurate, and just kinda cool. It takes a minute longer than the others, but that's because it separately runs your upload and download speeds to provide an excellent picture of your broadband speed. I'd also recommend running it periodically to first create a benchmark for your broadband speed so you can compare that with what your ISP is charging you for. The other helpful bit of info I'd keep an eye on is how much your up and download speeds fluctuate. Not a big deal to most people (as long as you happen to be on a spike more often than a dip), but I recently found out that an inconsistent download speed can cause havoc with your VOP router, if you happen to use a service like Lingo, Vonage or whatever.
I would strongly suggest sparing yourself my further analysis (and the next five minutes) and checking out www.speakeasy.com. Because if there's one thing I know about you, it's that you are into efficiency (oh, that and the cable bill thing we talked about earlier). If you are still unsatisfied, return to this article and read on.
* Note: back to original article.
The last one I picked up from a particularly helpful Qwest rep just before dropping their service. It's extremely simple, but doesn't seem to be all that reliable. You have the choice of downloading some very high-res photos, or simply a ton of text (in the form of the Telecommunications Act of 1996). To use it, simply go to toast.net and choose "internet speed test." Choose the size/format of what you want to download, and you will see a chart similar to this one:
Your connection speed will be represented by the blue bar across the top compared to a few other metrix. So, in this case you'd read that my download speed is almost 13 mb ["mega bits per second"] (sorry, I cut the screenshot off at 7).
It's helpful, but pretty limited as far as useful info. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I found drastically different results when you select anything other than text as your benchmark.
The second tool (which is my #1 recommendation), shows upload speed, download speed, along with a ton of other information and choices on how to run the test. It also archives and compares your past results (this is excellent, because testing on Monday evening will yield far different results from say, Monday Morning since your Cable connection is likely shared among your neighbors).
Anyway, the site is www.speedtest.net, and the results look something like the screenshot below:
You may notice that in this speed test, I'm getting around 17 mb and 550 kb upload. Those are results I really like to see, so I should disclose that my testing is fairly unscientific, unvalidated by any other tools, and not 100% objective (Which driving range do you prefer? The one where your 210 yard drive goes 210 yards, or the one where it's marked 240?)
Anyway, give these couple of speed tests a try, especially if you feel like you may not be getting what your provider promises. A lot of variables can affect your broadband speed, including your neighborhood hub being at capacity, how many people are currently on, how much resistance your home wiring has, your modem, firmware etc. What it does not take into consideration is how fast your computer is, any hardware devices added to your home network (wireless router, print server, switch, LinkStations, whatever).
Additionally, this can be very good information to have handy before calling up your overpriced provider. It just might be enough to quickly confuse phone monkey #1 and get you on the fast track to "Tier-Two" service where something might actually get done. Please feel free to post back here on your experiences with either of these online tools, or any others.
Finding out the connection speed of your computer to the internet is, in my opinion, very important to know. Your internet speed is not directly tied to your provider (despite what cartoon spokesmen tell you on TV), so it is important to regularly find out for yourself just what kind of upload/download speed you are paying for.
I find it even more important if you are trying to accomplish actual work from home via FTP, Citrix, VPN or simply getting your CEO's latest six-tab spreadsheet of sales figures through Web mail.
I'll briefly discuss a few free online tools I find useful, www.speakeasy.com, www.speedtest.net and www.toast.net.
** NOTE ** I'm making this addition to the article after its original publication. I recently found www.speakeasy.com, which is extremely useful, accurate, and just kinda cool. It takes a minute longer than the others, but that's because it separately runs your upload and download speeds to provide an excellent picture of your broadband speed. I'd also recommend running it periodically to first create a benchmark for your broadband speed so you can compare that with what your ISP is charging you for. The other helpful bit of info I'd keep an eye on is how much your up and download speeds fluctuate. Not a big deal to most people (as long as you happen to be on a spike more often than a dip), but I recently found out that an inconsistent download speed can cause havoc with your VOP router, if you happen to use a service like Lingo, Vonage or whatever.
I would strongly suggest sparing yourself my further analysis (and the next five minutes) and checking out www.speakeasy.com. Because if there's one thing I know about you, it's that you are into efficiency (oh, that and the cable bill thing we talked about earlier). If you are still unsatisfied, return to this article and read on.
* Note: back to original article.
The last one I picked up from a particularly helpful Qwest rep just before dropping their service. It's extremely simple, but doesn't seem to be all that reliable. You have the choice of downloading some very high-res photos, or simply a ton of text (in the form of the Telecommunications Act of 1996). To use it, simply go to toast.net and choose "internet speed test." Choose the size/format of what you want to download, and you will see a chart similar to this one:
Your connection speed will be represented by the blue bar across the top compared to a few other metrix. So, in this case you'd read that my download speed is almost 13 mb ["mega bits per second"] (sorry, I cut the screenshot off at 7).
It's helpful, but pretty limited as far as useful info. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I found drastically different results when you select anything other than text as your benchmark.
The second tool (which is my #1 recommendation), shows upload speed, download speed, along with a ton of other information and choices on how to run the test. It also archives and compares your past results (this is excellent, because testing on Monday evening will yield far different results from say, Monday Morning since your Cable connection is likely shared among your neighbors).
Anyway, the site is www.speedtest.net, and the results look something like the screenshot below:
You may notice that in this speed test, I'm getting around 17 mb and 550 kb upload. Those are results I really like to see, so I should disclose that my testing is fairly unscientific, unvalidated by any other tools, and not 100% objective (Which driving range do you prefer? The one where your 210 yard drive goes 210 yards, or the one where it's marked 240?)
Anyway, give these couple of speed tests a try, especially if you feel like you may not be getting what your provider promises. A lot of variables can affect your broadband speed, including your neighborhood hub being at capacity, how many people are currently on, how much resistance your home wiring has, your modem, firmware etc. What it does not take into consideration is how fast your computer is, any hardware devices added to your home network (wireless router, print server, switch, LinkStations, whatever).
Additionally, this can be very good information to have handy before calling up your overpriced provider. It just might be enough to quickly confuse phone monkey #1 and get you on the fast track to "Tier-Two" service where something might actually get done. Please feel free to post back here on your experiences with either of these online tools, or any others.
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