[numinary1]

@dilemma's suggestion is the right one. The best way to use powerpoint is DON'T USE POWERPOINT to create your presentation. For example, if you use PPT shapes and text objects on a slide, and somebody tries to view it on a different version of PPT (mac v. PC for example), the layout may change. Yesterday, I presented in a webinar. I sent my slides to the sponsor in PPT format. The webinar presentation software wanted 4:3 aspect slides and mine were 16:9 so they mangled the format.

Use another tool to create each slide. Photoshop if that's your thing. I use omnigraffle on my mac a lot. Each slide should consist of a single jpg or png.

So you don't have to learn anything about PPT, which is a worthless tool, but unfortunately ubiquitous. Make your content and use PPT only to share and present.

[DeusExMachina]

The OP clearly stated:

> I don't pick the format, I am aware of all the disadvantages, I have read Tufte, Powerpoint is the tool I will be using for this.

And still there are people that go on telling him not to use PowerPoint and the reasons why.

[AndyRewtD]

The poster above didn't say not to use PPT as the final format. If you had read OPs issue closely you would probably identify this as a viable work-around.

[akirayamaoka]

What about save as PDF?

[type0]

For the vast majority I think it actually the best way, you loose the ability to use animations but one should rarely if ever need to use them. The problem is that if you do presentation and ppt with other people they want to add annotations and make fast changes and this becomes tricky. For the presentation PDF is generally better format since it should be consistent, which ppt certainly isn't.