PowerPoint 2007 for Starters: The Missing Manual

A.2. Getting Help from Microsoft

Although getting help directly from Microsoft is neither cheap nor easy, you can do it, as you'll see in the following sections.

A.2.1. Help for Folks Familiar with PowerPoint 2003

Because PowerPoint 2007 looks so much different from earlier versions of the program, Microsoft maintains the Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 Highlights Web site, which offers a tutorial as well as a well-designed, 12-minute animated demo showing PowerPoint 2007 in action (www.microsoft.com/office/preview/programs/powerpoint/highlights.mspx).

A.2.2. Tutorials

The folks at Microsoft have created several dozen interactive tutorials in PowerPoint, some of which address PowerPoint topics (such as adding animated effects to your slideshow). To see a list of these tutorials, head to Microsoft's Office training center, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training, and search for "PowerPoint 2007."

A.2.3. Online Articles, FAQs, and More

The Microsoft Technical Communities Web site (www.microsoft.com/communities/default.mspx) is the place to find user groups, technical chats, Web casts, a 24/7-accessible knowledge base, and to find out about PowerPoint- related events and training.

You can also try Microsoft's Help and Support site for PowerPoint, http://support.microsoft.com/ph/2522, which organizes questions (and answers) by topic and lists important security updates you can download to help keep your copy of PowerPoint (and your computer) healthy and virus-free.

If it's creating PowerPoint macros you're interested in, start with the PowerPoint Developer Portal (http://msdn.microsoft.com/office/program/powerpoint/default.aspx), which offers links to a VBA language reference as well as articles written especially for VBA programmers.

A.2.4. Forums

Microsoft maintains a public PowerPoint forum (www.microsoft.com/office/comm-unity/en-us/default.mspx?lang=en&cr=US&dg=microsoft.public.powerpoint) where anyone can ask a question (and anyone can answer). Although this forum isn't moderated by actual Microsoft employees , it is monitored by knowledgeable PowerPoint gurus.

A.2.5. Direct Person-to-Person Help

Sometimes, nothing wil do but asking a real, live technical support person for help. The prices for contacting Microsoft (see the site http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus.aspx?Sitename=1) start at $35 per email or phone call and go up from thereso you probably want to exhaust the options described in the preceding sections before you begin the process.