Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003
Manufacturer: Microsoft Part number: 079-01869
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Although it's pricey, Microsoft's PowerPoint 2003 is still the reigning champion of presentation software. You'll get a wealth of customization options, though not when it comes to export formats.
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CNET editors' review
Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003 price range: $99.99 - $137.50
- Reviewed by: Brian Nadel and Brian Nadel
- Edited by: Felisa Yang
- Reviewed on: 02/06/2006
- Released on: 08/01/2003
The good: Microsoft's PowerPoint 2003 is a fast, responsive program that includes lots of transitions, templates, and charts; it comes with a downloadable viewer.
The bad: PowerPoint 2003 has limited export format options, and some of the adjustments are too broad and crude. Also, the program is expensive and will be too complicated for some users.
The bottom line: Although it's pricey, Microsoft's PowerPoint 2003 is still the reigning champion of presentation software. You'll get a wealth of customization options, though not when it comes to export formats.
Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 is more than two years old and isn't the simplest presentation software to use, but it is still the best overall choice for a small-business user who needs to create slide shows and presentations. It's available as a stand-alone program or as part of the Office 2003 package; the Small Business Edition encompasses Word, Excel, Publisher, and Outlook, while the Professional Edition also includes Access. At around $200 for just the PowerPoint software (about $500 for the entire Office 2003 suite), it's on the pricey side, but it's a responsive program that gives you a lot of options when you're building a presentation. Unfortunately, your choice of export formats is limited.
For this review, we loaded the entire Office 2003 Professional Edition suite, which took about 11 minutes; if you're installing just PowerPoint, it should go faster. Unfortunately, PowerPoint doesn't come with a manual or a shortcut sheet; you'll have to rely on links to Microsoft's Web site for instruction and tips.
Once set up, PowerPoint, like other Office programs, has a menu item for a new document. Just pick the template you want to use and you're on your way, although unlike Apple Keynote and other presentation programs, there's no direct side-by-side comparison of the templates, and many of the 44 options are derivative of each other. While PowerPoint includes a lot of options for transitions between slides, they come in only three speeds. Other programs, including Keynote 3 and ProShow Gold (check back soon for reviews of these products), allow a more granular, second-by-second transition control. For those who want additional templates, effects, and options, we suggest looking into CrystalGraphics PowerPlugs, though this software will set you back a hefty $400.
Using PowerPoint, you can start creating a presentation by using an outline or a Word file, which shows how well the Office components mesh. You can use just about any image, video, or audio format in your presentation, including AVI files that caused Corel Presentations to balk. The Clip Organizer tool provides one-stop access to media, but the standard menu items also work well. Microsoft does include a downloadable presentation viewer, but that doesn't make up for the pitiful export potential of PowerPoint. While some of the other programs we looked at allow you to save a slide show as a movie, as Flash animation, or even as Acrobat slides, PowerPoint can save only in its native format, any of six different image formats, or as a Web-ready XML file. On the plus side, you can print a wide assortment of handout sheets with space for notes and multiple slides per page. As far as performance goes, PowerPoint 2003 is fast: it can import a variety of multimedia objects quickly and save the entire file in a snap. The test file we created was 7.7MB--the smallest file size of all of the presentation software we tested--and took only 1.3 seconds to save.
Like other Microsoft programs, PowerPoint 2003 comes with lifetime support, though you'll pay through the nose for personal attention. Your first help request, submitted either via e-mail or over the phone, is free, but each additional request will cost you $35. Microsoft's toll-free phone support line is open on weekdays from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT. Although the support hours are generous, we waited on hold for half an hour before finally giving up (hooray for toll-free numbers). Microsoft's Web site promises a response to an e-mail query within one business day. If you're unwilling to fork over $35, the company's Web site includes a wealth of downloads, tips, discussion forums, and FAQs. We recommend you start there.
User reviews
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PowerPoint Is a Typical Microsoft Product
by richmouk on March 5, 2006
Pros: People who don't know what they are doing buy it?
Cons: Useless - that could be a "Pro" for those above
Summary: PowerPoint is the perfect product for people whose idea of a presentation is to flash a up a slide and then to read to the audience what they are seeing ...
Summary: PowerPoint is the perfect product for people whose idea of a presentation is to flash a up a slide and then to read to the audience what they are seeing on the screen. It is essentially useless for anything more than that. (See Tufte if you don't know what I mean.) For anyone who knows how to use graphs to convey data (assuming that the audience is intelligent enough to read them, which presumes a lot), there is only one product - Harvard Graphics. It is more powerful in its DOS version than HG will ever hope to be.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Why Do People Go Against It?
by dangomario on September 20, 2011
Pros: Nicer Than Office 2000.
Lots Of Features.
Easy To Use Slide Show.Cons: Buttons All Over The Place.
Very Small Editing Area.
I Dislike The Font Arial Highly.Summary: PowerPoint 2003 is a nice piece of software but can be a little tricky to use. The real issue is the crowded buttons all over the screen and its not ...
Summary: PowerPoint 2003 is a nice piece of software but can be a little tricky to use. The real issue is the crowded buttons all over the screen and its not so nice. The font Arial is the main font and is so classic which i do not like at all.
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Just The Man trying to keep you down
by scott_wilder on February 8, 2006
Pros: It's THE standard in offices everywhere
Cons: It's THE standard in offices everywhere
Summary: Microsoft Office and each of its components has such a foothold in the majority of offices around the world that there is very little incentive to change.
Everyone in need ...Summary: Microsoft Office and each of its components has such a foothold in the majority of offices around the world that there is very little incentive to change.
Everyone in need of an office suite knows about MS Office. why not take some time and actually educate your readers on the scope of office software available?
A better review would have also listed the alternatives to powerpoint and how they stack up on a value per dollar comparison.2 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Isn't this review 3 years too late?
by ostyle on February 6, 2006
Pros: absolutely none.
Cons: Microsoft Office is a useless application that everyone in the world has been forced to use because of the company's monopoly on all PCs and productivity software.
Summary: Microsoft sucks. It's also pretty sad that CNET is coming out with a review for this product 3 YEARS after it was released!
Summary: Microsoft sucks. It's also pretty sad that CNET is coming out with a review for this product 3 YEARS after it was released!
1 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Microsoft
- Part number: 079-01869
- Description: PowerPoint 2003 includes new tools to help you create, present, and collaborate on presentations that have more impact. Work Together and Share Presentations with Confidence. Now it's easier to collaborate on compelling presentations and share them with others. - Work together better. Save PowerPoint 2003 presentations to shared workspaces where other team members can get the latest version and check the presentations in or out. With shared workspaces you can save task lists, related files, links, and lists of members working on a project. Shared workspaces require Microsoft Windows Server 2003 running Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services. - Review with your team. Create a Document Workspace by using the Shared Attachment option when attaching your presentation in a Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 e-mail message. Your team can then use a task pane in the presentation to collaborate on and review the presentation. Document Workspaces require Windows Server 2003 running Windows SharePoint Services. - Control distribution of your presentations. Protect your company assets by preventing recipients from forwarding, copying, or printing important presentations by using information rights management (IRM) functionality. You can specify an expiration date for a presentation, after which it cannot be viewed or changed. IRM functionality requires Windows Server 2003 running Microsoft Windows Rights Management Services (RMS). - Broaden your reach. Package for CD makes it easy to create all the files you need to burn your presentation to a CD and give it to customers. The presentation automatically launches in Slide Show mode when the recipient inserts the CD into their CD drive. - Have more people see your work. An improved PowerPoint Viewer enables people without PowerPoint installed on their computers to view your presentations. Authors of the PowerPoint 2003 presentation can choose to include the viewer for the recipient when saving the presentation to a CD. Impress Your Audience. Use PowerPoint 2003 to create exciting slide shows with graphics, animations, and multimedia - and make them easier to present. - Present slides with ease. The improved Slide Show mode makes it easier to give a presentation. Use an improved on-screen user interface (UI) and ink annotation tools - including a highlighter, arrows, and two types of pens. - Add impact with graphics. While working in PowerPoint 2003, you can access Clip Art and Media on Office Online. Select from thousands of multimedia elements - including images, sounds, photos, and animations - to add impact to your presentations. Accessing Office Online requires a connection to the Internet. - Add excitement with custom animations. Use high-quality custom animations in PowerPoint 2003 to make your presentations come alive. Create animation effects such as moving multiple objects simultaneously or moving objects along a path (path animation), as well as easy sequencing for all of your animation effects, including exits. - Use multimedia to tell the story. Support for additional file types gives you enhanced capabilities to play video full screen and use playback to stop, start, or rewind your show, or to find content. PowerPoint 2003 supports Advanced Stream Redirector (.asx), Eastman Software's Work Manager for Exchange (.wmx), M3U, Windows Media Redirector (.wvx), Windows Media Audio Redirector (.wax), and Windows Media Audio (.wma) files. If a media codec is not available, PowerPoint 2003 and Microsoft Windows Media Player may attempt to download one. - Mark up slides. Add notes and illustrations while giving your presentation. If you're using a Tablet PC, you can choose colors and pen types that can help make your comments stand out. Access Information at Your Fingertips. Find the information you need without having to leave PowerPoint 2003. - Get started faster. From the Getting Started and Help task panes, access Assistance on Microsoft Office Online. It provides help and assistance articles that are updated regularly from requests and issues of other users. Some functionality in these task panes requires a connection to the Internet. Learn more about using Office Online. - Stay focused on your work. Find facts easily without leaving PowerPoint 2003 with the new Research task pane. It brings electronic dictionaries, thesauri, and online research sites into PowerPoint 2003 to help you find information and incorporate it into your presentation. Some functionality in the Research task pane requires a connection to the Internet. Learn more about how to do research and reference in Office 2003 Editions. - Reduce errors and save time. AutoCorrect can automatically fix common spelling and typing errors, and replace abbreviations with full text. - Find information related to key words and phrases with smart tags. Smart tags are now featured in PowerPoint 2003. When a name, address, or other key word or phrase comes up, a smart tag icon appears and provides additional information and a list of actions you can take.
General
- Category Office applications
- Subcategory Office applications - presentation
- Language(s) English
- License pricing Standard
- Localization English
Software
- License Type Complete package
- License Qty 1 user
- License Pricing Standard
- Platform Windows
- Distribution Media CD-ROM
- Package Type Retail
System Requirements
- OS Required Microsoft Windows 2000 SP3 or later,
Microsoft Windows XP or later - Min Processor Type 233 MHz,
233 MHz - Peripheral / Interface Devices CD-ROM,
SVGA monitor,
Mouse or compatible device - System Requirements Details Microsoft Windows 2000 SP3 or later - Pentium - RAM 128 MB - HD 150 MB,
Microsoft Windows XP or later - Pentium - RAM 128 MB - HD 150 MB
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Microsoft products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Microsoft
- Address:
One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052 - Phone: 1-425-882-8080
- Fax: 1-425-706-7329
