Issue #21 December 3, 2002

1. Using Clip Art & Photos on Presentation Slides

After text, the next most common element used on presentation slides are graphics – usually either clip art or photographs. When you use any graphic, make sure that you are using it because it adds to the point you are making, not just because you like it. Try not to pick the same clip art everyone has been using for years, choose some new ones that are stylish looking and have colors that contrast well with the slide background. Don’t use the animated clip art because it distracts the audience from listening to you. Photographs can be from digital photos you have taken or from collections. The resolution does not have to be too large if you are just displaying them in a presentation, usually 640×480 is fine. Be aware that photographs evoke more emotion than clip art does, so be careful in selecting photos that may bring out negative emotions from the audience. If you need to, you can modify the image by sizing it, cropping it or changing the colors or brightness. You can get more details on using clip art and photographs on presentation slides in the article on the web site. http://www.communicateusingtechnology.com

2. Creating E-Documents that Stand Out

More and more people are using the Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format) file format to distribute information. I have used it for articles, invoices, information products and sales proposals. But as I see PDF files from others, I realize that there are features in the format that are not being used as well as they could be. One common misconception is that PDF files cannot be changed. This is not completely true and you have to properly set the security settings in order to prevent people from modifying the file or copying the data from it. I also see the bookmark feature underutilized. By setting bookmarks properly, you can let the reader jump to the information that is relevant to them, not to what you think they should want to see. The other area that can be used better is to set how the reader sees the file when they first open the file. This can give a great impression if set well. I have captured these ideas and many more in a new special report titled “Make Your E-Documents Stand Out From The Crowd” that is now available on the product page of the web site. The special report is a PDF file that demonstrates the techniques I talk about.

3. Useful Resource – Keeping Hackers Out

Recently, PC Magazine published a great article on how to keep hackers from attacking your system. It seems like almost daily we are sent viruses or a hacker tries to access our system. This article discusses a variety of approaches to keeping hackers out of your system. It lists specific Safety Tips that I suggest you read and use. It also discusses different firewalls that can help hide your system from the Internet. If you have high-speed access to the Internet through a cable modem or DSL connection, you really need to read this article and act on the suggestions it contains. Here is a link to the article: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,654643,00.asp