In 1984, Robert Gaskins created PowerPoint slideshow presentation software. At that time, presentations were typically created by skilled desktop publishers and shown via overhead projectors. PowerPoint enabled the average end user to create presentations with little training in design software through the use of templates. In 1987, Microsoft purchased the software and later released it as part of its Office Suite.
Definition
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PowerPoint utilizes premade design framework slides known as templates. These slides have no content but contain design elements and encourage the user to place content in specific places to create consistency throughout the presentation.
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Use
The templates use default settings for font size, color and styling, and they contain content placeholders identifiable from their tags such as "Click here to insert title." The tags do not print until the user replaces them with customized data or elements.
Customization
Templates are customizable on the fly, so that the user can make a universal change to a presentation. For instance, if the existing template title is a black 24-point font, a change to the template changes the slides based on it. Placing standard elements such as logos on the template pushes the change out to all slides.
Difference Between Templates and Masters
A template consists of a collection of "master" slides. These are subdesigns of the template, based on the same central theme and complementary to each other but with different layouts. The cover master, for instance, typically utilizes larger, centered font sizes and larger image sizes for impact. Pages with images require different text placement to accommodate the images. Masters within a template usually have the same font and color scheme, but placement and sizing differ based on content.
Acquiring Additional Templates
PowerPoint includes templates with the software, but additional templates can be downloaded from Microsoft or third parties on the Internet, or the user can create his own templates. PowerPoint's preinstalled templates span a range of designs with a variety of business concepts. Templates can be downloaded through a direct link from PowerPoint in recent versions of the software.