SlideShare: Lovable bastard child of YouTube and Powerpoint

Remember when Conan O'Brien used to do that "what if they made it" segment? (Maybe he still does it... I haven't watched the show in years. I'm so out of touch.) Well, here's one possible outcome of YouTube and Powerpoint hooking up: SlideShare.

SlideShare is a service that lets you upload Powerpoint or OpenOffice presentations and have them be playable on the web, via a handy navigation toolbar. (If you're using unsupported presentation software, such as Keynote, simply export the file to PPT format before uploading to SlideShare.) This way, the presentations have a permanent URL for easy sharing; no more toting around a USB key drive and hoping it works at the client's office, for example.

Why is SlideShare better than using web-based services such as S5, you might ask? Well, for one thing, it placates recalcitrant office workers who refuse to use anything other than Powerpoint. But there are other benefits as well. I already mentioned the permalinks, but here are a few more perks:

• Files can be tagged.
• Comments can be left by viewers.
• Each slide has its own permanent URL for reference.
• SlideShare is simpler and more specialized than WebEx competitors such as DimDim and TeamSlide.

What about the drawbacks and as-of-yet unimplemented features? (Surprise, SlideShare is in beta!) Here are a few:

• Files cannot be larger than 20 MB.
• No sharing or privacy options.
• The original presentation file cannot be downloaded.

SlideShare says it will add support for these features in the future, however.

All in all, SlideShare looks promising. And I didn't mean to take a cheap shot at Powerpoint users, really. Let's face it, no web-based system currently has an interface that compares to Powerpoint in familiarity and ease of use.

[Via TechCrunch]

Tags: online presentation services, OnlinePresentationServices, Open Office, OpenOffice, Powerpoint, presentation software, presentations, PresentationSoftware, sharing, SlideShare, video, Web 2.0, Web2.0, YouTube