ThehistoryofPowerPointisinmanythehistoryofelectronicpresentations.OurCreativeTechniquescolumnistJimEndicottwasthereatthebeginning.Inthislookback,herecountstheevolutionaryroadPowerPointhastaken,fromitsinfancyasabasicslide-creationprogramtoitscurrentstatusasthepresentationsoftwarechampionoftheworld.IwastheproductionmanagerfortheSeattleofficeofGenigraphicsCorp.,anationalservicebureauwith22offices.Weweren'tthelargestlocationofthe22,butwehappenedtobeinMicrosoft'sbackyard,whichgaveussomecachetamongourpeers.LittledidweknowwhatimpactMicrosoftwouldultimatelyhaveonourbusinesswhenitunveiledtheindustry'sfirstviablepresentation-graphicssoftware,ahithertoobscurelittleprogramcalledPowerPoint.Inthoseearlydaysofpresentationgraphics,abusinesspresenter'schoiceswereprettystraightforward:Youwouldcrankoutyourpresentationonatypewriterwitha12-pointheadandeithermakeoverheadsontheofficephotocopierorbringyourroughinputtoaservicebureautoberecreatedonhugecomputer-designstations.Theformerwaseconomicalbutugly,andthelattercouldcostyouandyourbusinessasmallfortune--Genigraphicscharged$240anhourforconsole-createtimein1988.Colorcomputer-generatedpresentationoutputwasoutofreachformostsmallbusinessesandbarelytoleratedbythelargerones,whofrequentlypaidrushfeesof150to200percenttomaketheirtightdeadlines.Itwasn'tunusualforasimpletitleslidetocosthundredsofdollars.HYPERLINK"http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=34&hid=107&sid=96bfbf51-1161-499a-a014-91731fdf255d%40sessionmgr15&bdata=Jmxhbmc9emgtY24mc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZl"\l"toc#toc"\o"ForethoughtAbutnomalice"ForethoughtAbutnomaliceInthemid-1980s,whileGenigraphicswasbusydevelopingbiggerandmoresophisticatedcomputerdesignstations,twosoftwaredevelopersinasmallCalifornia-basedcompanycalledForethoughtInc.werequietlydevelopingthepersonalcomputer'sfirstpresentation-graphicssoftware,PowerPoint1.0.Theirearlyeffortswentrelativelyunrewarded.Anumberofventure-capitalfirmsdeclinedtoinvest,onthegroundsthatthemarketwasalreadyfullofproductsthatcouldcreateoverheads.ButB