link for Resume download 'Active X Control' &
iSpring PowerPoint Navigation

Home Infocard RESUME References For Recruiters & HR PowerPoint Navigation Portfolio
More PowerPoint
Webdesign/Management
Academia


Why you should allow ActiveX control in MS Explorer:

When you visit this website with the Microsoft Internet Explorer you will see most likely the following message:
This warning notifies you that 'ActiveX controls have been deactivated. If you click on the text "Click here for options" you can "Allow Blocked Content" or get more information at "What's the risk?".
When choosing the second option a small window pops up giving you a detailed background overview. Titled "What is active content and why does Internet Explorer restrict it?" Microsoft states: "Active content is interactive or animated content used on websites. It includes ActiveX controls and web browser add-ons, which are small programs that are used extensively on the Internet. Active content can make web browsing more enjoyable by providing toolbars, stock tickers, video, animated content, and more."

Why then restricting it? Microsoft points to the fact that sometimes these programs can be used for identity theft or other harmful procedures. While this information is correct and protecting your computer a noble cause this site unfortunately relies heavily on ActiveX. And it definitely was not build to harm!

You might be able to neglect the comfort of the left sided 'collapsible' Navigation bar. You can reach every page through alternative paths. But the sole purpose of the site at this stage is giving you easy access to work examples which primarily consist of PowerPoint presentations.
The iSpring PowerPoint/Flash player used to present these files fast and very convenient will not work when ActiveX is disabled!
The same is true for slideshows featuring other material. At a later time this site will be redesigned more sophistically in Flash which will avoid the ActiveX problem.
But for now the top priority is finding my way to your Company! And the continuous updating you will see during the next weeks can be done much faster and efficient with the tools currently used.

The Bottom Line: Please click in the upper orange message bar [seen only when using MS Explorer or Firefox] under "... here for options" on "Allow Blocked Content" and answer the following security warning with "Yes".
This website was just recently developed and you have been pointed to it for a very good reason. How likely is it that I fool around with unsecure scripts? All JavaScript templates used are from two trusted websites: iSpring (www.ispringsolutions.com) and DynamicDrive (www.dynamicdrive.com).

Why can't I simply download PowerPoint files?

During my business and academic career I have used Microsoft PowerPoint for a variety of tasks: interactive kiosk systems, storyboards, portfolios and - of course - many regular presentations. You can find several examples on this website. But there are problems related to sharing original PowerPoint files over the Internet. Some are large and would take too long for downloading. There is no copyright protection. And Microsoft is well known for its ongoing tradition to create new document formats with each new software generation which don't run on older versions.

Thankfully one solution exists: converting PowerPoint into the Internet-friendly Flash format. There are several software packages available to do the job - but only one company offers a basic version free of charge: iSpring. The result is a Flash file which is significantly smaller than the PowerPoint document. The only disadvantages are some minor but acceptable reductions in the graphics quality and non-functional links to external applications (more about that later).

Features of the iSpring Powerpoint/Flash Player

iSpring also provides a very user-friendly Player for the PowerPoint/Flash presentations. Here is how to use it:
  • Next to the iPring logo you find three buttons: The left one [1] is for jumping to the previous slide. The button is first displayed in a lighter grey tone (when viewing slide No. 1).
  • Most presentations are programmed to run automatically from slide 1 to the end (usually with a 15 second time interval for each slide). You can identify this mode when the middle button shows the symbol marked with [2].
  • You can halt the presentation at any time by clicking on the middle button. It then displays a little triangle [3]. Clicking again will continue the presentation.
  • The third button on the left side [4] will let you 'jump' to the following slide.
  • Next to it you can see a long slider indicating where you are in the presentation, the total number of slides and which slide you just see [5]. With a slower Internet connection you will notice after opening the page that the grey line slowly expands from the left, indicating that content is being downloaded. During this time you might not have access to slides at the end of the presentation.
  • At the right side of the slider some time information is displayed - the time which would have passed seeing the previous slides in uninterrupted self-running mode [6] and the total duration of the presentation [7]. Most likely you will individually pause, skip slides or use internal navigation at will - so this information can be easily ignored.
  • The same is true for the first of three buttons on the right side. It let you adjust the sound volume [8]. Right now there is only one presentation featuring some background music. It was developed for my church and shown during an Easter service in 2006.
  • The right sided middle button with the three little squares let you activate a very powerful and fun quick search [9]. There is some more information about that in the next paragraph.
  • Finally the very right button [10] gives you the opportunity to see the presentation on your entire screen. Pressing the 'Escape' button on your keyboard will close the 'Full screen mode' again.
    •


    How to use the 'Internal Navigation' in PowerPoint Presentations

    Some PowerPoint presentations on this website feature internal navigation elements. They help you to find what interests you faster and more conveniently. A good example is my Work-Portfolio which I encourage you to check out soon.

    The next diagram is based on the first slide of the Portfolio where you can find some highlights from recent presentations developed during the last two years at Loyola College.
    One way to 'screen' through it is using the iSpring 'carousel'. Do you remember the right sided button with the three squares I mentioned above? Clicking on it will display a graphics overlay where you can scroll through the slides. The slide currently seen in the player is shown with a white frame [1]. Hovering with your mouse above other icons will slightly enlarge them [2] and with a left click you are right at the corresponding slide.

    Alternatively - or additionally - you can use the 'internal navigation'. In our example you can see that one of the 10 icons (representing the ten presentation clips in the portfolio) is highlighted while the other icons remain dark [3]. You will find 10 'introduction slides' looking similar with a highlighted screenshot of the slide which follows. Clicking on the darker icons [4] will lead you to the corresponding introduction of another work example.
    Navigation elements in different presentations will vary - but they are self-explanatory or introduced at the beginning.

    One Navigation element used occasionally in the original PowerPoint version is unfortunately not converted into Flash. PowerPoint enables you to open an Internet browser showing a website related to a link set in the presentation. The chart on slide 2 in the "Second Life' overview includes such links. They do not work here. But the left sided title bar will help you to quickly access the information you are interested in ("The Virtual Business Community 'Second Life'" was designed as a 'read-at-home" presentation, more a 'Final class paper' in PowerPoint format than the standard set of bullet points).

    You will soon discover that navigating both within the PowerPoint presentations and this website itself is easy and fun. So why not checking out one of the examples mentioned above: my Work Portfolio, 'Second Life' or the 'Easter Service 2006' slideshow?



    Home |  Executive Resume |  References |  For Recruiters & HR |  Portfolio |  'Second Life' Presentation |  More PowerPoint |  More Webdesign |  Academia

                                     ©2008 Stephan Kroker-Bode