This month's Quirk's featured an interesting and provocative (if you are a market researcher, we don't get out much) letter to PowerPoint, saying it may be time to end the relationship.
While I had trouble disagreeing with Chris' main ideas, I am thinking it may be time to "work on the relationship first", and remember we are using PowerPoint as both a presentation tool (as good as the presentation writer chooses to make it) and as a market research reporting tool (which is where it can use some serious help). It certainly has its place when considering best practices for our industry.
The story is here, along with my response.