DHTML Slides

DHTML Slides, at the moment, is a proof of concept for html-based presentation-slides, pimped up with some DHTML.

Have a look at some example slides for an easy and quick overview:

→ start the show. [ good ]

→ start the show in a new window. [ better, recommended, but not necessary ]

At the moment, the used Javascript code is in prototype state. Right now I am kind of satisfied, with what there is. The theoretical possibilities for some neat libraries, with new standards like SVG or MathML, are endless. I already played with some more complex placement schemes - which was kind of awkward.

The Code is GPL'ed, it kind of gracefully downgrades and it is supposed to work cross-browser. Cross-browser meaning Gecko and IE. I think Konqueror lacks proper javascript support, and Opera lacks some serious dedication from my side. I saved myself a lot of work, by utilizing functions of Mike Foster's X libraries / Cross-Browser.com. Great Stuff, very much recommended.

'In the end, I am not even sure, whether HTML was meant for stuff like that. Maybe other formats, like PDF (see links below), satisfy the need for more advanced slides better.

I welcome comments.

Update july 2005

Didn't do any developemnt of DHTML-Slides lately. The javascript implementation of the mozilla project was changed, but Mike already considered those changes in his X libraries, so by inlcluding the latest version, everything is okay, and running like it used to.

I did a small fun online presentation for a lanparty team. It was received well. I don't want to post a link here as some of the used pictures are private.

Update october 2004

• I finished I nice real world prototype, which I can't publish, because there are some pictures involved, I don't have rights to show here. But still, it turned out pretty nice - just trust me.
• somehow the positioning API from the gecko engine got changed and everything is kind of messed up. I'am just gonna wait for Mike to adjust his X libraries.

There are some similar projects on the net:

• mozpoint - nice project, not dynamic enough for me (yet?)
• texpower - very powerful, tex and pdf based, overkill for me.
• PPower4 - similar project, tex and pdf based. Too much for me - as texpower, maybe very good for scientific stuff - with vector based formulas/diagrams etc.
• XMLPresentations - SVG based - very nice scaling - but not dynamic enough.
• DHTML-Slides - creating presentations from the doc-book format. Interessting transition effect.
• pylize - uses pyton to generate html slides. A little bit dynamic - but only for gecko. Excuse me, what is the point of making html slides which do not work in IE? It is a reimplementation of PLies which is using perl.

Static solutions (e.g. axpoint) - even though vector based - are not an option. Even less acceptable are static pixel based solutions like latex2slides. Of course there have always been lecturers (e.g. jeffrey zeldmann) using plain html for their presentations - neat and flexible - but not satisfying.

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