How long do updates take?

This week was an especially frustrating week for my computers.

My websites for work had WordPress core updates.  Those usually go smoothly, but then there are sometimes issues with plug-ins and themes that take a little work-this was the case for me.  I spent hours troubleshooting a couple of issues, and finally after going to the theme developers (who issued 3 updates this week) I was on track.

I have a Mac laptop and a MacMini that I use for work.  I use Adobe Creative Cloud products that constantly have updates.  I changed some Mail profiles for my work email, and needed to update them on the Mac. Between the two sets of updates, my computers spent hours cranking through data and were almost unusable.

Regularly the Windows machine goes through updates, and I detest the screen that says ("Windows has XX updates-please do not shut off or unplug computer").  The next morning when I turn on that computer, it may take another couple of reboots to get it working correctly.

Then there's the trusty Chromebook.

When I boot up in the morning, it takes about 10 seconds to get up and running.  All of the apps are basically available immediately.

I contrast that with my Mac-mini, which boots up quickly, yet because of all kinds of software that runs in the background, it may take a minute or two for my Mail program to download the newest emails and be ready to function (sometimes involving the "spinning beach ball" in the process).

My Windows machine with a Solid State Drive boots up a little quicker than the Mac-but not 10 seconds fast. It is not uncommon that it takes a minute or two to load all the necessary software before my Mail is ready to download.

And then there's the updates on the Chromebook.  They don't happen frequently, but when they do, there is an arrow that appears in the right corner of the screen, you click on it, the computer restarts, and in 30 seconds or less, everything is working correctly again.

In my younger days, going through updates with Windows 3.1 or one of the earlier MacBook's was a joyful challenge with a little bit of stress mixed in.

I have to admit, that after working with personal computers for over 30 years, I actually like the simplicity of the Chromebook, and the absence of stress.

Google Slides for Presentations

Are you a presentation warrior?  Noone will ever be able to convince you to use something other than PowerPoint or Keynote.

I know, I have been there in my career.  Maybe even more than the average warrior because I created on average about two new presentations a week for about 5 years straight. My corporate friends were creating one or two every 6 months and tweaking them every once in awhile. They would never give up their PowerPoint.

What if you are not a regular user of PowerPoint/Keynote and need the occasional presentation for work or hobby? I say, try out Google Slides.

Its interface is very similar to what you would find with any other presentation software.  There are a number of templates available, and if you are hardcore user, you can build a presentation from scratch and customize it as much as you want.

You can import all kinds of free templates from websites like Slides Carnival or Free Google Slides Templates if there aren't enough in the default collection for you.

You have most of the same options that are available in other presentation software, and you have a great deal of flexibility in formatting. Because I am not a "master" at the craft as I once was, I don't need all of the bells and whistles I once thought I needed.

The big question that most everyone would ask- "Can I use the presentation without an internet connection?"

The answer- YES!

If you are using a Chrome Browser and you have set-up your Google Drive to "Sync Google Docs, Sheets, Slides & Drawings files to this computer so that you can edit offline."- You can do it.

I rarely work on any Google app without being on WiFi, but the option is there if you need it.  You can also export any Slides presentation to other formats that are compatible with other systems [.pptx, .pdf or (.jpg, .png or .svg) for single slides].  I have yet to find myself in a bind when presenting somewhere with a Chromebook created presentation.

There is also a great option of publishing to the webs for others to see the slideshow- either as a file or an embedded web presentation...(this was easier than anything I have tried with PowerPoint).



So, if you need something easy to use, that costs nothing extra, and does most everything other software does, give Slides a try.