the cognitive style of ppt
in his slim 28-page pamphlet, [edward] tufte claimed that microsoft's ubiquitous software forces people to mutilate data beyond comprehension. for example, the low resolution of a powerpoint slide means that it usually contains only about 40 words, or barely eight seconds of reading. powerpoint also encourages users to rely on bulleted lists, a ''faux analytical'' technique, tufte wrote, that dodges the speaker's responsibility to tie his information together.
... powerpoint still has fans in the highest corridors of power: colin powell used a slideware presentation in february when he made his case to the united nations that iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction.
of course, given that the weapons still haven't been found, maybe tufte is onto something.
- clive thompson, "powerpoint makes you dumb," new york times december 14, 2003
posted December 20, 2003 in print