Microsoft Office Reference Guide

Mar 26, 2004

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SIGGRAPH is the show that first got me into computer graphics and programming so I looked forward to even a slimmed down version in San Diego this year.

In some ways SIGGRAPH is a blend of CES and InfoComm with the most cutting edge products in the graphics field for each. You may find this a bit far afield from MS Office, but for one thing, creating video and 3D visualizations that play in slide shows is a big part of how I like to use PowerPoint.

My visit to SIGGRAPH took me back to how it all started for me, when I was first mesmerized by Amiga's video toaster. The company behind the original Toaster still exists, with a new hardware (TriCaster) and software (VT4 — the latest version of the Toaster) solution.

Generally these are intended as high end broadcast solutions for video professionals, but with the blurring of these kinds of distinctions with what is commonly known as the "convergence," it is not surprising that VT4, for example, has a streaming capability. I first saw the TriCaster at InfoComm in a presentation scenario, as a high end switcher between video, DVD and PowerPoint feeds but as I said, the cutting edge graphics stuff starts at SIGGRAPH and then goes to CES and InfoComm.

Another potential presentation technology was for Arc Science Simulations which showed off a very intriguing technology with spherical video projection. Among the simulations available were terrestrial (earth climatic conditions) and extra terrestrial —movements of planets and stars as seen from inside the sphere and outside.

Google was at the show with what became a bit of a controversial technology. In addition to the currently popular mapping options, Google has videotaped streets in major cities so that users can actually experience driving through various routes, taking GPS to a new level. Unfortunately for Google, however, some folks didn't like to have their presence recorded for posterity, like one gentleman whose van with his company logo was shown in front of a strip club.

Among the many 3D programs that featured superb rendering capability one that I was intrigued by was Maxon 3D Cinema 4D — because it can export objects that work with Adobe After Effects.

Again this allows advanced animators and users to create 3D environments that can be displayed in PowerPoint as a standard movie — in AVI, MPG or WMV format. But for certain businesses, like architects, it can make an ordinary presentation extraordinary.

I was surprised that Adobe was not at the show. Instead I took advantage of other vendors to preview some of Adobe's new product features. I learned that Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 has a new feature called Device Central to create video for all kinds of devices, and lets you preview how it will look on a cell phone.

We have speculated on the future of video versions of PowerPoint on other devices including as audio and video podcasts, so the ability to actually preview how they will look is quite nice.

I was also intrigued by the latest version of Adobe Captivate which is a terrific simulation and training tool for software, letting a user have a complete interactive experience. Captivate can create both training and business presentations.

In both cases these videos or simulations can be launched from PowerPoint — although in the case of Captivate you would leave PowerPoint to play a Flash file to get the full interactivity.

But the real power of SIGGRAPH is the exposure to the latest in digital artistry. The Electronic Theatre is an opportunity to preview the very latest in CGI wizardry, some of it targeted to Hollywood, and other content created for industry or simply for its own sake.

The SIGGRAPH media disk is like a virtual art museum of the future. High resolution images like this almost bridge the gap between conventional and classical art and its digital counterpart in the present and future.

Figure 1329

The other interesting thing about SIGGRAPH is that it not so much a commercial show as an academic show. There are many training organizations on display (some competitive with our own InfomIT site) and the actual conference is a who's who of the thinkers in the graphic arts community.

In some ways it makes you wonder how much more can really be accomplished on a screen using 3D technology that hasn't already been achieved, just as trying Office 2007 makes you wonder how much more can be crammed into word processor or spreadsheet.

But if you are interested in taking full advantage of the visual tools in Office, principally PowerPoint and Visio, a trip down the aisles at SIGGRAPH is a good way to start, both for hands on experience to see what is possible.

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