Using PowerPoint Support Resources


Microsoft provides a variety of support tools for PowerPoint in addition to the Help system. You can diagnose problems with your PowerPoint installation, for example, download update, register your copy of PowerPoint, and more.

To access these tools, follow these steps:

  1. Click the Office button, and then click PowerPoint Options.

  2. Click Resources. A list of resource topics appears, as in Figure 1-34.

    image from book
    Figure 1.34: Support tools for PowerPoint appear in the Resources section of the PowerPoint Options dialog box.

  3. Click the button for the type of help you need. Each of these options is described in Table 1-2.

    Table 1.2: PowerPoint Resources
    Open table as spreadsheet

    Resource

    Description

    Get Updates

    Connects to the Office Web site, runs a utility that evaluates the dates on your current Office files, and downloads and installs updates if available.

    Office Diagnostics

    Runs a utility that checks Office files and reinstalls any that have become corrupted or changed.

    Contact Us

    Opens a Web page listing contact information for Microsoft.

    Activate Microsoft Office

    Opens a utility that activates your copy of PowerPoint. (See the following section for details.)

    Register for Online Services

    Opens a window that enables you to send your contact information to Microsoft and receive free online services in return

    About Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007

    Provides version information for your copy of PowerPoint.

Understanding Product Activation

All Office 2007 products must be activated after a certain number of days or a certain number of uses. This is a simple matter if you have an Internet connection. Every time you start an Office 2007 application, a reminder to activate appears. Follow the prompts to activate it. You do not have to give any personal information.

So what is this activation, and why is it required? Activation locks your copy of Office (or PowerPoint, if you bought it separately) to the hardware configuration in your computer, so that it can't be installed on any other PC.

The activation utility surveys a sampling of your PC's hardware (around a dozen different components), and based on their models, serial numbers, and so on, it comes up with a number. Then it combines that number mathematically with the 24-digit installation key code you entered when you installed the software, to produce a unique number that represents that particular copy of Office combined with that particular PC. It then sends that number off to an activation database at Microsoft, along with the original installation key code.

So how does this prevent illegal software copying? Two ways. One is that the installation key code is locked to that hardware ID, so that if you install the same copy on a different PC, it can't be activated there. (This is not the case for some corporate and volume-licensed copies.) The other is that it prevents you from radically changing the hardware in the PC without contacting Microsoft for reactivation authorization. For example, you could not take the hard disk out of the PC and put it in another PC without reactivating Office.

It is this second point that has been an issue of conflict between Microsoft and users, because many users like to tinker with their hardware and they do not want to have to contact Microsoft every time they make hardware changes. According to Microsoft documentation, the change of one or two pieces of hardware will not trigger the need for reactivation, but your experience may differ.

There are two situations in which you might not have to activate:

  • When you buy a new PC with Office preinstalled. Office will already have been activated, so you do not have to go through the process.

  • If you work for a company or attend a school that has a licensing agreement with Microsoft for a certain number of copies. You might have a version of Office that does not contain the activation requirement.

When you go through the activation process, you are also asked whether you want to register your copy of the software. Activation by itself sends no identifying information about you or your PC to Microsoft; if you want to be on the Microsoft mailing list for update information, you must go through the additional process of registration.

Adjusting Privacy Settings

In some situations, it is advantageous for your copy of PowerPoint to communicate with Microsoft over the Internet. For example, when you use the Help system, you get better results if you are connected, and when inserting clip art, you have more images to choose from if you are connected.

It's a two-way street: your copy of PowerPoint can also help Microsoft by sending information to the company about your usage habits. For example, when Microsoft is developing a new version of PowerPoint, they look at usage data to determine which features of the program people are using the most and the least. This program for gathering user data is the Customer Experience Improvement Program, and participation in it is optional.

To control whether-and how-your copy of PowerPoint interacts online with Microsoft, follow these steps to configure Privacy Options:

  1. Choose Office image from book PowerPoint Options.

  2. Click Trust Center, and then click the Trust Center Settings button. The Trust Center dialog box opens.

  3. Click Privacy Options, and then mark or clear any of the check boxes in the Privacy Options section. See Figure 1-35. To get information about each of the options, point to the "i" symbol to its right.

    image from book
    Figure 1.35: Choose how your copy of PowerPoint will interact with Microsoft via the Internet.

  4. Click OK, and then OK again to close all open dialog boxes.




Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Bible
Microsoft Powerpoint 2007 Bible
ISBN: 0470144939
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2007
Pages: 268
Authors: Faithe Wempen

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