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The fact that MagicPoint uses standard X
resources like aliased font-names and colors is a strong point in its favor. In addition,
it allows you to use a true type font server (like xfstt) if standard X-fonts aren’t
good enough for you. I routinely use the superb true type versions of Donald Knuth’s
Computer Modern Roman in presentations that include a lot of TeX typeset mathematical
formulae.
The cons of MagicPoint are the cons that
supposedly dog all left-brained software. Each time you need to make small changes to your
presentation, you have to get to the script and edit it (You can restart from any page
though). With a right-brained WYSIWYG presentation manager, you can always block the
projector lens with your ample frame as you quickly repair that spelling gaffe of yours.
For the ambi-cerebral (All you Lyx users out there, that means you!), there’s one
more con—PowerPoint file compatibility is still lacking. You can convert MagicPoint
scripts to HTML and Postscript though. With imaginative color schemes (gradient colors are
possible with "%bgrad slope initialcolor finalcolor") and MagicPoint’s
"special-effects", you can generate some very impressive presentations.
So go ahead and use MagicPoint if
you’re left-brained. And if you’re right-brained, go grab a seat in the
audience. You won’t be disappointed.
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