Powerpoint, or how it loses something in the translation

I am busy with all sorts of upcoming conference presentations on all sorts of random unrelated topics. I loathe Powerpoint but it's pretty much the only way to present data at a conference in my field. Actually I should say that I loathe Powerpoint presentations as generally developed and delivered but don't actually have a problem with the software itself.

One of the problems I have with PP presenatations is the incredible dumbing-down that has to occur to get information to fit into bullet format in the small blank space not filled with a garish template. A lot can be lost in the translation to this format. Just take a look at one interpreatation of how the Gettysburg Address would have looked like if Abe Lincoln had PowerPoint.