Stories with Tag Presentation

• Presenterm: Markdown Slideshows in the Terminal

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  Posted: 2025-03-08 21:36:53

  Verbose tl;dr

  Presenterm is a terminal-based presentation tool that uses Markdown for content creation. It leverages the power of Markdown's simplicity for writing slides and integrates seamlessly with the terminal environment, making it lightweight and portable. Presenterm supports features like syntax highlighting, custom themes, and speaker notes, allowing for dynamic and engaging presentations directly within the terminal. This offers a minimalist and efficient alternative to traditional graphical presentation software, particularly appealing to developers and command-line enthusiasts.

  Presenterm is a command-line utility meticulously crafted to facilitate the creation and presentation of slideshows directly within the terminal. Leveraging the simplicity and ubiquity of Markdown, it offers a lightweight and efficient alternative to traditional graphical presentation software. Users can write their slide content using standard Markdown syntax, incorporating features like headers, lists, code blocks, and even basic formatting like bold and italics. This approach allows for a focus on content creation without the distractions of complex formatting or graphical elements.

  Presenterm then parses this Markdown input and dynamically renders it within the terminal window, utilizing a pager-like interface for navigation between slides. This allows for a seamless and intuitive presentation experience directly within the familiar terminal environment. The tool supports various customization options, allowing users to tailor the appearance of their presentations, including features like theming to control colors and fonts. This allows for some degree of personalization, albeit within the constraints of the terminal's capabilities.

  Furthermore, Presenterm boasts advanced features such as support for speaker notes, which are displayed in a separate pane or window, providing presenters with valuable cues and additional information without cluttering the main slide content. This separation of presentation and notes enhances the presenter's control and allows for a more polished and professional delivery. The inclusion of syntax highlighting for code blocks within slides caters specifically to technical presentations, ensuring clear and readable code examples within the terminal environment. This specialized feature underlines Presenterm's focus on practicality and utility for technical audiences. Finally, its lightweight nature and reliance on readily available tools like Markdown and the terminal make it a highly portable and readily deployable solution for presentations in diverse environments. This eliminates the dependency on specific operating systems or the need to install complex software packages, making it a versatile tool for presenters on the go.

  • markdown
  • slideshow
  • terminal
  • Presentation
  • cli
  • command-line
  • tui
  • Text-based
  • console
  • presenterm
  • GitHub

  Summary of Comments ( 37 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43303752

  Verbose tl;dr

  Hacker News users generally praised Presenterm for its simplicity and minimalist approach to terminal-based presentations. Several commenters appreciated its reliance on standard Markdown, making it easy to create and edit presentations without learning a new syntax. Some highlighted the benefit of having presentations version-controlled alongside code in Git repositories. Others suggested potential improvements, such as adding support for speaker notes, theming, and transitions. A few pointed out existing alternatives like mdp and remarked on the trade-offs between terminal-based presentations and more feature-rich GUI options. The discussion also touched upon the niche use case of presentations within a terminal environment, with some finding it ideal for code-heavy talks and demos.

  The Hacker News post for Presenterm, a terminal-based Markdown slideshow tool, has generated a moderate amount of discussion with several interesting comments.

  Several users express appreciation for the simplicity and utility of a terminal-based presentation tool. One commenter highlights the benefit of having presentations readily available within the terminal workflow, eliminating the need to switch to a separate GUI application. They also emphasize the advantage of using familiar Markdown formatting. Another echoes this sentiment, finding the terminal context particularly useful for technical presentations where code snippets and command outputs are frequently demonstrated. The lightweight and portable nature of a terminal-based solution are also mentioned as appealing features.

  One user raises a concern about the lack of support for images, a feature they deem crucial for engaging presentations. This sparks a discussion about the trade-offs between simplicity and functionality. Another user counters this by suggesting that Presenterm could be useful for quick, informal presentations or internal technical discussions where rich visuals aren't as important. Furthermore, a commenter points out that the lack of image support could actually be a strength, forcing presenters to focus on content and delivery rather than relying heavily on visuals.

  A discussion thread emerges regarding potential improvements and feature requests. One suggestion involves incorporating transitions or animations between slides to enhance visual appeal. Another user proposes the integration of syntax highlighting for code blocks, making technical presentations clearer and more readable. The possibility of adding speaker notes is also raised, which would be beneficial for keeping track of talking points during a presentation. Someone mentions wanting PDF export capabilities, suggesting this would be useful for sharing slides after a presentation.

  Some users express interest in exploring similar terminal-based presentation tools, mentioning alternatives like mdp and highlighting their respective features. This demonstrates an existing demand for this type of tool and suggests a broader interest in minimalist presentation methods.

  Finally, one commenter shares their experience of using a similar tool for teaching, indicating real-world applications and further validating the utility of terminal-based presentation software. They praise the ability to seamlessly integrate code demonstrations into the presentation flow.

• Show HN: Inscribed, create stop motion animation and slide powered by Excalidraw

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  Posted: 2025-02-17 13:04:34

  Verbose tl;dr

  Inscribed is a web application that lets users create stop-motion animations and slideshow presentations using Excalidraw drawings. It provides a simple interface for sequencing drawings, adding transitions, and exporting the final product as a video or GIF. The tool leverages the familiar Excalidraw drawing experience, making it easy to create engaging visual content, from animated explainers to dynamic presentations.

  A new web application called Inscribed has been launched, offering a streamlined and intuitive platform for creating stop-motion animations and dynamic slideshow presentations, all powered by the popular online whiteboard tool, Excalidraw. Inscribed leverages Excalidraw's familiar drawing interface and extends its functionality to incorporate the element of time, allowing users to craft engaging visual narratives.

  The application simplifies the typically complex process of stop-motion animation by allowing users to create individual frames within Excalidraw and then seamlessly string them together within the Inscribed interface. This removes the need for external software or complicated workflows, making the creation of stop-motion content accessible to a wider audience. Furthermore, the integration with Excalidraw allows users to capitalize on its existing features, such as a library of pre-drawn shapes, collaborative drawing capabilities, and a simple, user-friendly interface.

  Beyond stop-motion animation, Inscribed also facilitates the creation of dynamic slideshow presentations. Users can design individual slides within Excalidraw, incorporating drawings, text, and other visual elements, and then sequence them within Inscribed to build a presentation. This allows for a more visually engaging and interactive presentation format compared to traditional slide decks, as the Excalidraw integration allows for hand-drawn aesthetics and flexible design options. The resulting presentations can then be shared and viewed online, offering a novel approach to conveying information and ideas.

  In essence, Inscribed expands the capabilities of Excalidraw by adding a temporal dimension, transforming it from a static drawing tool into a platform for creating dynamic visual content, ranging from animated stories to engaging presentations. This integration simplifies the creation process and opens up new avenues for creative expression using the familiar and accessible Excalidraw environment.

  • Show HN
  • inscribed
  • stop motion
  • animation
  • slide
  • Presentation
  • excalidraw
  • drawing
  • web application
  • Software
  • Tool

  Summary of Comments ( 4 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43078555

  Verbose tl;dr

  Hacker News users discussed Inscribed's potential, particularly its integration with Excalidraw. Some saw it as a valuable tool for creating explainer videos and presentations, appreciating its simplicity and the familiar Excalidraw interface. However, others questioned its value proposition compared to existing tools like PowerPoint or dedicated animation software, expressing concerns about limited features and potential lock-in. The lack of offline functionality and reliance on a closed-source platform were also points of concern for some commenters. There was also a discussion about the challenge of effectively using stop-motion animation for conveying complex information.

  The Hacker News post for Inscribed, a tool for creating stop-motion animation and slides using Excalidraw, generated several comments discussing its potential uses, limitations, and comparisons to other tools.

  Several commenters expressed enthusiasm for the application, praising its intuitive interface and the clever integration with Excalidraw. One user highlighted its potential for creating engaging presentations, envisioning its use for crafting animated explanations of complex topics or producing short, animated stories. They appreciated the ability to leverage the familiar drawing tools of Excalidraw within a dedicated animation environment.

  The discussion also touched upon the limitations of the current version. Some users pointed out the absence of features like onion skinning (the ability to see previous frames while drawing the current one), which is a standard feature in most animation software. This limitation, they argued, makes it challenging to create smooth and consistent animations. Another user suggested the addition of tweening functionality (automatic generation of in-between frames) to simplify the animation process.

  Comparisons were made to other tools like Rough Animator, which some commenters felt offered a more robust feature set for animation, albeit at a cost. The open-source nature of Excalidraw and its integration with Inscribed was seen as a significant advantage by some, who valued the flexibility and control it offers. One commenter specifically mentioned using Excalidraw for storyboarding and expressed interest in how Inscribed could further streamline their workflow.

  The conversation also drifted towards broader topics like the potential of web-based animation tools and the increasing accessibility of creative software. One user pondered the future of presentation software, suggesting that tools like Inscribed could pave the way for more dynamic and engaging presentations compared to traditional slide decks.

  While some users expressed concerns about potential performance issues with complex animations, the overall sentiment towards Inscribed was positive. Many viewed it as a promising tool with the potential to fill a niche in the animation and presentation software landscape, particularly for users already familiar with the Excalidraw ecosystem.

• Show HN: I made an extension that turns Google Sheets into Google Slides

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  Posted: 2025-01-23 13:44:46

  Verbose tl;dr

  A new Google Workspace extension called BotSheets transforms Google Sheets data into Google Slides presentations. It leverages the structured data within spreadsheets to automatically generate slide decks, saving users time and effort in manually creating presentations. This tool aims to streamline the workflow for anyone who frequently needs to visualize spreadsheet data in a presentation format.

  A novel browser extension, christened "BotSheets," has been meticulously crafted to bridge the functional divide between Google Sheets and Google Slides, facilitating the streamlined conversion of spreadsheet data into visually compelling presentations. This tool obviates the tedious manual process of recreating charts, graphs, and tables from a spreadsheet within a presentation software, offering users a significant boost in productivity. By leveraging the power of this extension, users can seamlessly transfer information residing within a Google Sheet directly into a Google Slides presentation, thereby maintaining data integrity and visual consistency. The extension intelligently interprets the structure and content of the spreadsheet, automatically generating corresponding slides populated with the relevant information. This automation eliminates the potential for human error during data transfer and significantly reduces the time investment required to create presentations based on spreadsheet data. BotSheets empowers users to quickly and effortlessly transform their data-rich spreadsheets into dynamic, presentation-ready slides, effectively streamlining the workflow for reports, analyses, and other data-driven presentations. The extension simplifies the often cumbersome task of preparing data for presentations, enabling users to focus on the narrative and impact of their presentations rather than the mechanics of data transfer. While the specific mechanisms of the conversion process are not explicitly detailed, it can be inferred that the extension analyzes the spreadsheet's contents and utilizes an algorithm to translate this information into a suitable presentation format within Google Slides.

  • Google Sheets
  • Google Slides
  • Extension
  • spreadsheet
  • Presentation
  • Automation
  • productivity
  • Integration
  • Workspace
  • Add-on
  • Data Visualization

  Summary of Comments ( 1 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42803917

  Verbose tl;dr

  HN users generally express skepticism and concern about the privacy implications of the Google Sheets to Slides extension. Several commenters question the need for AI in this process, suggesting simpler scripting solutions or existing Google Sheets features would suffice. Some point out potential data leakage risks given the extension's request for broad permissions, especially concerning sensitive spreadsheet data. Others note the limited utility of simply transferring data from a spreadsheet to a slide deck without any intelligent formatting or design choices, questioning the added value of AI in this particular application. The developer responds to some of these criticisms, clarifying the permission requirements and arguing for the benefits of AI-powered content generation within the workflow. However, the overall sentiment remains cautious, with users prioritizing privacy and questioning the practical advantages offered by the extension.

  The Hacker News post discussing the "Botsheets AI Content Generator" extension for Google Sheets, which converts spreadsheet data into Google Slides, generated several comments exploring various aspects and potential applications.

  One commenter questioned the practical value proposition, especially given the existing functionality within Google Sheets to create charts and graphs directly. They wondered if converting to slides added significant benefit beyond what's already readily achievable. This sparked a discussion about specific use cases where the extension might be helpful, such as automating the generation of presentations from frequently updated data or creating visual representations of complex data relationships that are not easily conveyed through standard charts.

  Another commenter raised a point about the limited customization options offered by the extension. They noted that while the initial conversion might be convenient, making further adjustments to the generated slides could be cumbersome. This led to a discussion about the trade-off between automation and control, with some arguing that the extension's value lies in its speed and simplicity, while others emphasized the importance of fine-grained control over the final presentation.

  Several comments focused on the AI aspect of the extension. Some expressed curiosity about the specific AI techniques used and whether it extends beyond simple data visualization to aspects like content generation or slide layout optimization. Others were skeptical of the "AI" label, suggesting it might be overused and that the functionality described could be achieved without sophisticated AI algorithms.

  There were also comments discussing the broader trend of AI-powered productivity tools and their potential impact on workflows. Some welcomed the automation and efficiency gains these tools offer, while others expressed concerns about the potential for job displacement and the deskilling of workers.

  Finally, a few commenters offered specific suggestions for improvement, such as adding support for more data types, providing greater customization options, and integrating with other Google Workspace applications. One commenter even suggested open-sourcing the extension to foster community development and expand its capabilities.