Making Slide Presentations in LaTeX

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around creating slide presentations using LaTeX, specifically focusing on the "Prosper" and "Beamer" packages. Participants share experiences, recommendations, and resources related to these tools, as well as address questions about compatibility and software installation.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant initially seeks a download link for the Prosper package, expressing confusion over its availability on Sourceforge.
  • Another participant confirms the correct link to Prosper after the initial inquiry, noting that previous links were outdated.
  • Several participants advocate for the Beamer package, suggesting it is more powerful and user-friendly compared to Prosper.
  • One participant mentions using Beamer and appreciates its polished output and extensive features, recommending its reference manual.
  • A user unfamiliar with LaTeX asks for guidance on how to start using it and where to find free software for educational purposes.
  • Participants discuss compatibility with Windows Vista, with some affirming that LaTeX works on that operating system, while others express uncertainty due to lack of recent experience.
  • Recommendations for installing the TeX system on Windows, specifically MiKTeX, are provided along with links to guides for LaTeX and Beamer.
  • One participant prefers using Beamer over Prosper and mentions using TeXnicCenter for coding, while another expresses a preference for WYSIWYG editors like Lyx for ease of use.
  • Another participant shares their experience using PowerPoint with Iguanatex for presentations, citing the limitations of LaTeX for rearranging slides.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is a general preference among participants for the Beamer package over Prosper, but no consensus is reached on the best tool for creating presentations, as some participants still favor Prosper or other methods.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying levels of familiarity with LaTeX and its packages, leading to different recommendations based on personal experience. Some discussions include outdated links and software compatibility concerns that may not reflect current conditions.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals looking to create presentations using LaTeX, particularly students or professionals interested in exploring different packages and tools for slide creation.

G01
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Anyone know where I can find a working download for "Prosper" the LaTeX package that allows you to make Powerpoint-like slides using LaTeX. The prosper page on sourceforge is no longer working and I can't seem to find another site with a download.

Just to be safe: Prosper is free, so I'm not asking for any pirated software or anything illegal like that.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Heh!

Never mind. Apparently Sourceforge just rearranged everything. I found it!:rolleyes:
 
That is it. The problem was that many links to the prosper page used a different address that was no longer valid and I got confused.

Thanks Kurdt!
 
Most people I know use Beamer when making latex slides. I've not used both, so can't comment from experience, but I've heard Beamer is more powerful.
 
Everyone I know uses Beamer as well.

Beamer is really terrific. I've used it, and it's really easy to learn as well as being extensive in its features. The finished presentation has a polished feel, that you don't find in other presentation software. There's also a detailed reference manual. You might want to take a look at the beamer package, G01.
 
Ok, I've never used any sort of latex. How do you do it? Where can I get a free program to try it out for school? Any ideas?
 
mcknia07 said:
Ok, I've never used any sort of latex. How do you do it? Where can I get a free program to try it out for school? Any ideas?

You can find out everything about latex here: http://www.latex-project.org/ including links to download sites.
 
Will it work with Vista??
 
  • #10
mcknia07 said:
Will it work with Vista??

Yes, though it's a long time since I've used latex on windows, so things have probably changed a lot since then. Someone else here probably uses vista, though...
 
  • #11
mcknia07 said:
Will it work with Vista??

Yes. First, you need to install the TeX system for windows. I recommend http://miktex.org/about" .

Here are a couple of guides which should help you with LaTex and the Beamer package.

1) "tobi.oetiker.ch/lshort/lshort.pdf"[/URL] (pdf)
2) [PLAIN]http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/macros/latex/contrib/beamer/doc/beameruserguide.pdf" (pdf)

Finally, I also suggest you get an IDE for Latex, so that you don't need to use notepad each time you write the .tex file. My pick for windows is http://www.toolscenter.org/" .
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #12
I second his recommendation of MiKTeX and http://www.toolscenter.org/" , but I provide the correct link for the second.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #13
NeoDevin said:
I second his recommendation of MiKTeX and http://www.toolscenter.org/" , but I provide the correct link for the second.

Thanks for the catch. Fixed the link.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #14
I personally prefer beamer to prosper and use TeXnicCenter for hard-coding. But for all but the most sophisticated of presentations, Lyx (lyx.org) is a WYSIWYM gui-based editor that will bring you up to speed more quickly.
 
  • #15
Although I love using Latex for writing articles/papers and even notes, I find it a real hindrance to create presentation slides without the ability to rearrange things in a WYSIWYG way. For this reason I use powerpoint with Iguanatex to make my presentations, which works awesome and is free.
 

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