I got the solution. Uninstall Excel, download an Apple II emulator, and use VisiCalc because we’ve reached the point where a spreadsheet program from 1979 is more useful than anything Microsoft will put out anymore
October 20, 2025 at 3:35 AM
I got the solution. Uninstall Excel, download an Apple II emulator, and use VisiCalc because we’ve reached the point where a spreadsheet program from 1979 is more useful than anything Microsoft will put out anymore
TIL that today is Spreadsheet Day with the release of VisiCalc in 1979. All Excel wizards, pay obeisance. Otherwise we would be calculating large columns of numbers on actual paper. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VisiCalc
VisiCalc - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
October 17, 2025 at 11:25 AM
TIL that today is Spreadsheet Day with the release of VisiCalc in 1979. All Excel wizards, pay obeisance. Otherwise we would be calculating large columns of numbers on actual paper. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VisiCalc
VisiCalc, the first electronic spreadsheet, illustrating table construction, copying of relative formulas, and total calculations.
youtu.be/s8h2YfmkyFw?...
youtu.be/s8h2YfmkyFw?...
VisiCalc Demo
YouTube video by Nuno Marques
youtu.be
October 11, 2025 at 9:54 PM
VisiCalc, the first electronic spreadsheet, illustrating table construction, copying of relative formulas, and total calculations.
youtu.be/s8h2YfmkyFw?...
youtu.be/s8h2YfmkyFw?...
Haigh highlights the sensory experience of using early computers, including the flickering screens, the noise of disc drives, etc. that is frequently lost in emulation.
Students can make appointments to work on their own projects. (One recreated a small business spreadsheet on VisiCalc.) #SHOT2025
Students can make appointments to work on their own projects. (One recreated a small business spreadsheet on VisiCalc.) #SHOT2025
October 11, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Haigh highlights the sensory experience of using early computers, including the flickering screens, the noise of disc drives, etc. that is frequently lost in emulation.
Students can make appointments to work on their own projects. (One recreated a small business spreadsheet on VisiCalc.) #SHOT2025
Students can make appointments to work on their own projects. (One recreated a small business spreadsheet on VisiCalc.) #SHOT2025
Hand-written accountancy worksheets, LANPAR, VisiCalc, Lotus 1-2-3, Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets...it's just progress. There are winners and there are losers.
October 10, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Hand-written accountancy worksheets, LANPAR, VisiCalc, Lotus 1-2-3, Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets...it's just progress. There are winners and there are losers.
You’re not old unless you used VisiCalc on an Apple 2e before Lotus 1-2-3 was even available.
October 6, 2025 at 10:39 PM
You’re not old unless you used VisiCalc on an Apple 2e before Lotus 1-2-3 was even available.
Microsoft of course ignores the contributions of e.g., VisiCalc ("visible calculator") in ~1978 and Lotus 1-2-3 ~1983.
The graphic extension of this idea was called Spreadplots by Forrest Young--linked and manipulable plots and tables in his ViSta ("visible statistics") software based on xlispstat
The graphic extension of this idea was called Spreadplots by Forrest Young--linked and manipulable plots and tables in his ViSta ("visible statistics") software based on xlispstat
I would have expected more posting from the #dataviz community about the 40 years of Excel (today). It was and remains a foundational tool. (test of time IIB award perhaps?)
This list of practical tips looks amazing. All from practitioners.
techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/excelbl...
This list of practical tips looks amazing. All from practitioners.
techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/excelbl...
Excel Turns 40: Join the Celebration! | Microsoft Community Hub
This year marks a major milestone—Microsoft Excel turns 40! In honor of four decades of innovation, we’re kicking off “40 Days of Excel”, a global community...
techcommunity.microsoft.com
October 1, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Microsoft of course ignores the contributions of e.g., VisiCalc ("visible calculator") in ~1978 and Lotus 1-2-3 ~1983.
The graphic extension of this idea was called Spreadplots by Forrest Young--linked and manipulable plots and tables in his ViSta ("visible statistics") software based on xlispstat
The graphic extension of this idea was called Spreadplots by Forrest Young--linked and manipulable plots and tables in his ViSta ("visible statistics") software based on xlispstat
With the IBM PC, it was IBM honestly. But VisiCalc was quickly ported. With the Macintosh, it was desktop publishing, which had to wait for the first laser printer. Macs later became the computer of choice for video editing and production.
April 10, 2025 at 1:49 PM
With the IBM PC, it was IBM honestly. But VisiCalc was quickly ported. With the Macintosh, it was desktop publishing, which had to wait for the first laser printer. Macs later became the computer of choice for video editing and production.
Double-checking, there was LANPAR for some mainframes in 1969, but I know nothing about it beyond that it was also a programming language. VisiCalc was the first one for microcomputers, meaning more than a very few people got to use it.
December 6, 2024 at 10:59 PM
Double-checking, there was LANPAR for some mainframes in 1969, but I know nothing about it beyond that it was also a programming language. VisiCalc was the first one for microcomputers, meaning more than a very few people got to use it.
My dad became an accountant a few years before VisiCalc was introduced. Going from ledger paper and pencil to software changed everything, for the better. The effect of using LLMs for coding is at that same level of magnitude. But they’re definitely not replacing software engineers.
Devs: how are you feeling about AI?
Are we at the end of a golden era of software, or at the start of one?
Are we at the end of a golden era of software, or at the start of one?
November 20, 2024 at 11:21 AM
My dad became an accountant a few years before VisiCalc was introduced. Going from ledger paper and pencil to software changed everything, for the better. The effect of using LLMs for coding is at that same level of magnitude. But they’re definitely not replacing software engineers.
Hey Ken,
I worked with an engineer at Mostek in the very early 1980s. One day he showed up in my office with a kit of parts to build a reverse engineered Apple II clone. I was just out of school, the $300 price was a bit steep for me. I really wish I had bought one. Worked great for Visicalc.
I worked with an engineer at Mostek in the very early 1980s. One day he showed up in my office with a kit of parts to build a reverse engineered Apple II clone. I was just out of school, the $300 price was a bit steep for me. I really wish I had bought one. Worked great for Visicalc.
October 9, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Hey Ken,
I worked with an engineer at Mostek in the very early 1980s. One day he showed up in my office with a kit of parts to build a reverse engineered Apple II clone. I was just out of school, the $300 price was a bit steep for me. I really wish I had bought one. Worked great for Visicalc.
I worked with an engineer at Mostek in the very early 1980s. One day he showed up in my office with a kit of parts to build a reverse engineered Apple II clone. I was just out of school, the $300 price was a bit steep for me. I really wish I had bought one. Worked great for Visicalc.
What was the last great leap in spreadsheet technology? Lotus 1-2-3 in color? VisiCalc adding mouse support??
These thoughts and more available @ my substack! Like and subscribe for the latest!
These thoughts and more available @ my substack! Like and subscribe for the latest!
April 15, 2024 at 2:15 PM
What was the last great leap in spreadsheet technology? Lotus 1-2-3 in color? VisiCalc adding mouse support??
These thoughts and more available @ my substack! Like and subscribe for the latest!
These thoughts and more available @ my substack! Like and subscribe for the latest!
The "business mindset" has brought so little value to humanity. These are people whose whole relationship with the world is one in which they manipulate numbers inside a spreadsheet to make a bar graph go up on a slide deck. Just VisiCalc brain thru and thru.
Trump is doing what you do after you acquire a company. Crazy I know. But reality. The Dir of NIH should reach out to DOGE and offer to bring them in to remove inefficiencies.
There are always some and the Director know what they are.
DOGE gets a win. NIH gets back to work.
There are always some and the Director know what they are.
DOGE gets a win. NIH gets back to work.
Hi Mark, how do you feel about cancer research being canceled.
January 25, 2025 at 7:29 PM
The "business mindset" has brought so little value to humanity. These are people whose whole relationship with the world is one in which they manipulate numbers inside a spreadsheet to make a bar graph go up on a slide deck. Just VisiCalc brain thru and thru.
Speakeasy Software was 1978, and were in the same circle as Peter Jennings (of Microchess and later Visicalc).
gue.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/in...
gue.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/in...
GUE - Software
gue.cgwmuseum.org
March 11, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Speakeasy Software was 1978, and were in the same circle as Peter Jennings (of Microchess and later Visicalc).
gue.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/in...
gue.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/in...
Ja, 20 MB und man hat gedacht, die bekommt man nie voll. 😂
Aber war das wirklich Excel? Excel gab es zuerst für den Mac und erst später für Windows. Eine Version für MS-DOS gab es - anders als bei Word - nie. Die gängigen Tabellenkalkulationen für MS-DOS waren Visicalc, Multiplan oder Lotus 1-2-3.
Aber war das wirklich Excel? Excel gab es zuerst für den Mac und erst später für Windows. Eine Version für MS-DOS gab es - anders als bei Word - nie. Die gängigen Tabellenkalkulationen für MS-DOS waren Visicalc, Multiplan oder Lotus 1-2-3.
December 5, 2024 at 10:03 PM
Ja, 20 MB und man hat gedacht, die bekommt man nie voll. 😂
Aber war das wirklich Excel? Excel gab es zuerst für den Mac und erst später für Windows. Eine Version für MS-DOS gab es - anders als bei Word - nie. Die gängigen Tabellenkalkulationen für MS-DOS waren Visicalc, Multiplan oder Lotus 1-2-3.
Aber war das wirklich Excel? Excel gab es zuerst für den Mac und erst später für Windows. Eine Version für MS-DOS gab es - anders als bei Word - nie. Die gängigen Tabellenkalkulationen für MS-DOS waren Visicalc, Multiplan oder Lotus 1-2-3.
I was using VisiCalc while still in diapers.
July 9, 2025 at 1:54 AM
I was using VisiCalc while still in diapers.
All excellent points, except for the VisiCalc erasure 🤪😕.
August 7, 2025 at 11:22 AM
All excellent points, except for the VisiCalc erasure 🤪😕.
Teeeeeeechnically Electric Pencil was the first spreadsheet software, but Visicalc was the first "killer app."
February 7, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Teeeeeeechnically Electric Pencil was the first spreadsheet software, but Visicalc was the first "killer app."
The image shows CDEX, a training program for VisiCalc users, released in 1983. It aimed to assist new users in navigating the popular spreadsheet software. Follow us on X too - @RetroNet42! #retrocomputing #retrosoftware
January 25, 2025 at 11:00 PM
The image shows CDEX, a training program for VisiCalc users, released in 1983. It aimed to assist new users in navigating the popular spreadsheet software. Follow us on X too - @RetroNet42! #retrocomputing #retrosoftware
ME:: oh really :-) ?!?! Why do I think all these miraculous folks have help from 'real' developers? Having said that I think everybody has been a programmer since Visicalc and even better G...
Origin | Interest | Match
Origin | Interest | Match
ME:: oh really :-) ?!?! Why do I think all these miraculous folks have help from 'real' developers? Having said that I think everybody has been a programmer since Visicalc and even better Google Sheets and in the near future regardless what happens with Machine Learning, everybody will be a full fledged mobile and desktop app developer; Claire Vo:: How a 91-year-old vibe coded a complex event management system using Claude and Replit ¦ John Blackman
flickr.com/roland, twitter.com/rtanglao #firefox #thunderbird
rolandtanglao.com
July 4, 2025 at 4:38 AM
I remember when Visicalc was going to put accountants out of work.
August 14, 2025 at 5:34 PM
I remember when Visicalc was going to put accountants out of work.
"If only (my calculator) had a head-up display!" In their own words, the creators of VisiCalc.
Before Excel there was VisiCalc: An interview with its creators
BI Excel (YouTube)
www.youtube.com
July 6, 2024 at 11:05 PM
"If only (my calculator) had a head-up display!" In their own words, the creators of VisiCalc.
From blackboards to floppy discs: Another Boring Topic talks about Visicalc, the software that took literal spreadsheets and made them accessable to the average desktop.
The Story of VisiCalc
Another Boring Topic (YouTube)
www.youtube.com
April 17, 2024 at 3:05 AM
From blackboards to floppy discs: Another Boring Topic talks about Visicalc, the software that took literal spreadsheets and made them accessable to the average desktop.
Why do we call it AI when we know so little about what our own brain does?
VisiCalc was first spreadsheet we ran (1980) 5 years later Excel began developing to enable simulations etc. It wasn't intelligence & I say neither is the vastly more complex multi-matrix tools being called AI.
Am I wrong?
VisiCalc was first spreadsheet we ran (1980) 5 years later Excel began developing to enable simulations etc. It wasn't intelligence & I say neither is the vastly more complex multi-matrix tools being called AI.
Am I wrong?
February 12, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Why do we call it AI when we know so little about what our own brain does?
VisiCalc was first spreadsheet we ran (1980) 5 years later Excel began developing to enable simulations etc. It wasn't intelligence & I say neither is the vastly more complex multi-matrix tools being called AI.
Am I wrong?
VisiCalc was first spreadsheet we ran (1980) 5 years later Excel began developing to enable simulations etc. It wasn't intelligence & I say neither is the vastly more complex multi-matrix tools being called AI.
Am I wrong?