Sunday, May 16, 2010

Google Saves My PowerPoint

Microsoft is so inclined to change file formats, that PowerPoint can no longer read a presentations from 2004. When I launch it, PowerPoint asks me where to save the converted (and presumably updated) file. PowerPoint then complains that it failed to save the conversion. This failure happens every time, so I have no way to view the presentation. So much for my presentation.

Oh, wait! I'll upload the presentation to Google Docs. Wait, wait, wait... DONE. And now I'm viewing the presentation. And I can share the presentation. And the presentation is saved in the cloud, so I can throw the CD away.

Consider what's going on here. I created the document using (expensive) Microsoft sofware. I can no longer read the document using (expensive) Microsoft software. However, I can read (and share) the document using (free) Google Docs.

The world is upside-down.