Psychologists, computer scientists and software developers are more divided about the effect of Powerpoint and its competitors. Some are sympathetic to the argument that the programs have debased public speaking to the level of an elementary school filmstrip. Presentation programs are primarily used for corporate and sales pitches. Still, the approach has leaked into the public discourse. Think of Ross Perot's graphs or President Clinton's maps.
Critics argue such programs contribute to the debasement of rhetoric.
Other people, however, have made the opposite argument, saying that Powerpoint has elevated the general level of discourse by forcing otherwise befuddled speakers to organize their thoughts and by giving audiences a visual source of information that is a much more efficient way for humans to learn than by simply listening. Pinker argues that human minds have a structure that is not easily reprogrammed by media. But Powerpoint too often is not used well, as even Pinker admitted. He is on a committee at M.I.T. that is updating the traditional writing requirement to include both speech and graphic communication. They may be brilliant in what they do, but no one can understand what they say.