MagicPoint
Encyclopedia
MagicPoint is one of several open source
presentation program
s, often used to produce slides for conferences. Unlike most presentation programs, such as Microsoft PowerPoint
, where a GUI
is used to create slides, MagicPoint slides are created by writing text files using a simple markup language
. The resulting file is then displayed with MagicPoint's X11-based viewer.
Another feature of MagicPoint is the ability to draw on slides during a presentation. By pressing x on the keyboard, the slide can temporarily be scribbled on with red "ink". Shift x allows you to cycle through other pen colours.
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
presentation program
Presentation program
A presentation program is a computer software package used to display information, normally in the form of a slide show...
s, often used to produce slides for conferences. Unlike most presentation programs, such as Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint, usually just called PowerPoint, is a non-free commercial presentation program developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Office suite, and runs on Microsoft Windows and Apple's Mac OS X operating system...
, where a GUI
Gui
Gui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...
is used to create slides, MagicPoint slides are created by writing text files using a simple markup language
Markup language
A markup language is a modern system for annotating a text in a way that is syntactically distinguishable from that text. The idea and terminology evolved from the "marking up" of manuscripts, i.e. the revision instructions by editors, traditionally written with a blue pencil on authors' manuscripts...
. The resulting file is then displayed with MagicPoint's X11-based viewer.
History
MagicPoint was originally created in the autumn of 1997, at a WIDE Project camp. It was originally known as tp, standing for TinyPoint, but in December the name was changed to MagicPoint.Features
- Content is written in text files and formatting is indicated by text features. For example, different level bullet points can be created by simply indenting the text with tabTabTab or tabs may refer to:* Tab, a British Army term for a loaded march* Tab , by Monster Magnet* Tab , a small protective covering for the fingers* Tab , the mechanism for opening a beverage can...
s - Many image formats are supported
- Slides can be scaled to different screen sizes
- External applications can be executed from inside the presentation
- A talk timer and slide guide are included
- Presentations can be exported to HTMLHTMLHyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....
or PostScriptPostScriptPostScript is a dynamically typed concatenative programming language created by John Warnock and Charles Geschke in 1982. It is best known for its use as a page description language in the electronic and desktop publishing areas. Adobe PostScript 3 is also the worldwide printing and imaging...
files. Native MagicPoint files can be imported by KPresenterKPresenterCalligra Stage is a free presentation program that is part of the Calligra Suite, an integrated office suite for the KDE Platform....
, another open source presentation program.
Another feature of MagicPoint is the ability to draw on slides during a presentation. By pressing x on the keyboard, the slide can temporarily be scribbled on with red "ink". Shift x allows you to cycle through other pen colours.