# A rather stupid Powerpoint question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 21, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-stupid-powerpoint-question/490259 "2009-03-21T14:19:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-stupid-powerpoint-question/490259/1 "2009-03-21T14:19:57Z")
OK, I confess, I rarely use Powerpoint. But now I need to do a presentation for a client in April. I have a legal copy of Powerpoint on my development machine, but not one for my laptop. Can I create a presentation on my dev box and then show it on the laptop without having PP on the laptop? IOW, is there a free “reader” like Adobe makes for their PDF format? I know there are some OpenSource alternatives. Are any format-compatible? Are they any good and easy to use? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-stupid-powerpoint-question/490259/2 "2009-03-21T14:21:27Z")
Sure. Go to the Microsoft website and download the free PowerPoint Viewer. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-stupid-powerpoint-question/490259/3 "2009-03-21T14:25:58Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Sure. Go to the Microsoft website and download the free PowerPoint Viewer. Thanks **Dewey**! I should have looked there first, eh? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-stupid-powerpoint-question/490259/4 "2009-03-21T16:06:14Z")
PowerPoint has a feature called “Pack and Go” or “Package For CD” depending on the version. This allows you to create a standalone package containing the presentation, any linked graphics and files, and the PowerPoint Viewer. It’s pretty slick. Alternatively, [OpenOffice Impress](http://www.openoffice.org/product/impress.html) is a popular open source presentation program which can open PowerPoint files. I haven’t used it much, but from what I’ve heard its functionality is almost identical to PowerPoint. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-stupid-powerpoint-question/490259/5 "2009-03-21T16:14:58Z")
You could also consider one of the online PowerPoint players out there; all you’ll need on the display machine is a web browser with Flash. Here’s a [list of 'em](http://labnol.blogspot.com/2007/08/upload-powerpoint-presentations-ppt.html). ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-stupid-powerpoint-question/490259/6 "2009-03-21T16:54:46Z")
> [@Number](#): > > Alternatively, [OpenOffice Impress](http://www.openoffice.org/product/impress.html) is a popular open source presentation program which can open PowerPoint files. I haven’t used it much, but from what I’ve heard its functionality is almost identical to PowerPoint. That’s correct. I’ve used the OpenOffice equivalents to Excel, Powerpoint and Word with no difficulty beyond minor formatting differences. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-stupid-powerpoint-question/490259/7 "2009-03-21T17:01:34Z")
> [@Number](#): > > Alternatively, [OpenOffice Impress](http://www.openoffice.org/product/impress.html) is a popular open source presentation program which can open PowerPoint files. I haven’t used it much, but from what I’ve heard its functionality is almost identical to PowerPoint. If you go this route, be sure to view your presentation in Impress before you give it. You don’t want to be surprised by what doesn’t look right. ---
**Author:** ![old\_joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/58956e/32.png) [@old\_joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/old_joe)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-rather-stupid-powerpoint-question/490259/8 "2009-03-21T17:14:11Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > If you go this route, be sure to view your presentation in Impress before you give it. You don’t want to be surprised by what doesn’t look right. I use open office to do presentations on my laptop 3 or 4 times a month and never had a problem in opening or a PP file. Pretty seemless with PP 2003 to 2007 But it always smart to be safe! and I aint no guest!