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500 MB Nyheder Direkte fra Internet 2
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500 MB nyheder direkte fra internet CD 2.iso
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spread.txt
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1994-09-21
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BACKGROUND
Any table of numbers is called a spreadsheet. For example, this
spreadsheet deals with money:
January February
Income $9,030.95 $12,486.99
Expenses $7,000.55 $9,210.75
-----------------------------
Profit $2,030.40 $3,276.24
A spreadsheet can show how many dollars you earned (or spent or
plan to spend), how many goods you have in stock, how people
scored in a test (or survey or scientific experiment), or any
other numbers you wish!
A spreadsheet program helps you create spreadsheets, edit them,
and analyze them.
Visicalc
The first spreadsheet program was invented in 1979. It was
designed by Dan Bricklin and coded by Bob Frankston. (That means
Dan Bricklin decided what features and menus the program should
have, and Bob Frankston wrote the program. Dan and Bob worked
together closely and occasionally switched roles: Dan sometimes
did some coding, and Bob sometimes did some designing.) They
called the program Visicalc, because it was a ``visible
calculator''.
The original version of Visicalc ran on the Apple 2 computer
and required 64K of RAM. Later versions of Visicalc ran on the
Radio Shack TRS-80 and IBM PC.
Supercalc
The next spreadsheet program was called Supercalc because it
was superior to Visicalc. It was invented by a company called
Sorcim (which is ``micros'' spelled backwards). Eventually,
Sorcim became part of a big conglomerate called Computer
Associates.
The original version of Supercalc ran on computers using the
CP/M operating system. The most popular CP/M computer ___ the
Osborne 1 ___ came with a free copy of Supercalc.
CP/M computers have become obsolete. New versions of Supercalc
have been developed for the Apple 2 and the IBM PC.
Multiplan
The first spreadsheet program to handle multiple spreadsheets
simultaneously ___ and the relationships between them ___ was
Multiplan.
Invented by Microsoft, it runs on a greater variety of
computers than any other spreadsheet program. Versions of
Multiplan have been invented for CP/M computers and also for the
Radio Shack TRS-80, Commodore 64, Texas Instruments 99/4, IBM PC,
Apple 2, and Apple Macintosh.
Context MBA
The first spreadsheet
program that had ``extras'' was Context MBA, invented in 1981 by
Context Management Systems. Besides handling spreadsheets, the
program also handled graphs, databases, word processing, and
telecommunications.
It ran slowly. Its word
processing abilities were severely limited: it couldn't center,
and it wouldn't let you set tab stops. The first version used a
strange operating system (the PASCAL P System) instead of MS-DOS.
An MS-DOS version, called Corporate MBA, didn't come until later.
Those problems prevented it from becoming popular.
Lotus 1-2-3
Today's most popular
spreadsheet program was invented in 1983. It was designed by
Mitch Kapor and coded by Jonathan Sachs for the IBM PC. They
called the program 1-2-3, because it ran fast and was supposed to
handle three things: spreadsheets, graphs, and word processing.
But when Jonathan examined Context MBA, he realized that putting
a good word processor into 1-2-3 would consume too much RAM and
make the program run too slowly. He omitted the word processor
and replaced it by a stripped-down database processor instead. So
1-2-3 handles spreadsheets (well), graphs (okay), and databases
(poorly).
Mitch and Jonathan
called their company Lotus Development Corporation, because Mitch
was a transcendental-meditation instructor who got entranced by
contemplating lotus flowers.
Versions of 1-2-3 The
original version of 1-2-3 was called version 1 (or release 1). It
required 192K of RAM. Then came fancier versions, called version
1A, version 2, version 2.01, version 2.2, and version 2.3.
The newest popular
version is called version 2.4. It lists for $495, but you can get
it for just $289 from discount dealers (such as Harmony in New
York, phone 800-441-1144 or 718-692-3232). It runs on any IBM PC
clone having a hard disk and 384K of RAM. If you want to use
version 2.4's advanced features, you need 512K of RAM. If you
don't have a hard disk, get version 2.2 ___ or better yet, get a
hard disk!
You can also buy a
stripped-down version, called the home version, for just $99! Get
it from dealers such as PC Connection (phone 800-800-0004).
Lotus has also invented
an extra-fancy version called version 3.4A, but it's unpopular
because it requires a megabyte of RAM, requires a fancy CPU (286,
386, or 486), is incompatible with some old 1-2-3 routines,
temporarily modifies DOS in a way that sometimes causes conflicts
with Windows, and costs too much ($595 list, $339 from Harmony).
Lotus has also invented
Windows versions, which run more slowly. The newest Windows
version is called version 4.
Symphony After inventing 1-2-3, Jonathan Sachs began inventing
a program called 1-2-3-4-5. Like Context MBA, it handled five
tasks: spreadsheets, graphs, databases, word processing, and
telecommunications. While he was developing it, he realized that
the program was becoming too large and confusing to be pleasant,
so he quit developing it and then quit the company. Other Lotus
employees finished that program and renamed it Symphony.
Jonathan was right: the program is too large and confusing to
be pleasant, and its word processor is awful. Most businesses buy
just 1-2-3 instead.
Changed leadership Like Jonathan, Mitch began feeling that
Lotus Development Corporation and its products were becoming too
big and confusing, so Mitch quit too.
Now Lotus Development Corporation is run by Jim Manzi. He's
young, rich, vain, egotistical, and nasty. The rest of the
computer industry hates him. Fortunately, his employees are nice.
Cheap clones
To save money, you can buy a cheap imitations of 1-2-3. The
cheap imitations are called 1-2-3 clones or 1-2-3 twins.
The first 1-2-3 twins were The Twin (published by Mosaic
Software) and VP-Planner (published by Paperback Software). Lotus
sued both of those publishers and put them out of business.
The only 1-2-3 clone that remains is called As-Easy-As because
it's as easy as 1-2-3! Since it's shareware, you can copy it free
from your friends or your local computer club; if you like it,
you're encouraged to mail a $50 donation to the author.
Apple's influence
In 1983 ___ the same year that Lotus invented 1-2-3 ___ Apple
invented Lisa Calc. It was the first spreadsheet program to use a
mouse. It ran just on the Lisa computer, which was expensive
($8,000).
When Apple began selling the Macintosh computer the next year
(1984), Microsoft began selling Multiplan for the Mac, which ran
on the Mac and combined the best features of Multiplan and Lisa
Calc.
Excel The next year, 1985, Microsoft invented a further
improvement, called Excel because it's excellent. Like 1-2-3,
Excel handles spreadsheets, graphs, and databases.
Apple wanted to sue Microsoft for inventing the Windows
operating system, which makes the IBM PC resemble a Mac. To avoid
the suit, Microsoft agreed to put Excel only on the Mac for a
year. Exactly one year later, when that agreement expired,
Microsoft put Excel on the IBM PC.
So now Excel runs on both the Mac and the IBM PC. Each version
lists for $495 ($295 at discount).
The newest IBM version is called Excel 5. It requires that you
buy Windows.
Excel's dead competitors Several companies tried to compete
against Excel; but when Microsoft kept improving Excel so
dramatically, those competitors gave up trying to sell their
spreadsheets. Excel won!
The spreadsheets that lost were Wingz (published by Informix)
and Resolve (published by Claris, which is a software company
owned by Apple).
Appleworks In 1983 ___
the year of Lotus 1-2-3 and Lisa Calc ___ Apple invented a
program called Appleworks. It was a primitive, mouseless program
that ran on the Apple 2 computer and handled three tasks:
spreadsheets, databases, and word processing.
Although Appleworks was
originally published by Apple, now it's published by Apple's
spin-off company, Claris. The current version, Appleworks 3,
lists for $249 ($170 at discount).
Claris also publishes a
program called Appleworks GS, which is quite different. Designed
by Kevin Harvey, it requires an Apple 2GS, uses a mouse, and
handles 7 tasks: spreadsheets, graphs, databases, word
processing, telecommunications, graphic painting, and desktop
publishing. It lists for $299 ($200 at discount).
Quattro
The newest great
spreadsheet program is called Quattro, because it's what comes
after 1-2-3. It was invented by Borland.
After inventing Quattro,
Borland invented an improved version called Quattro Pro. It
combined the best features of 1-2-3 and Excel. Then came further
improvements, called Quattro Pro 2, Quattro Pro 3, Quattro Pro 4,
and Quattro Pro 5.
In 1991, Borland
invented Quattro Pro Special Edition (Quattro Pro SE). It's a
stripped-down version of Quattro Pro 3.
Prices have dropped. Now
discount dealers (such as Egghead) sell Quattro Pro 5 for just
$40; and while supplies last, you can get Quattro Pro SE for just
$16 (plus shipping) from a liquidator called Surplus Software in
Oregon (phone 800-753-7877 or 503-386-1375).
In 1994, Borland sold
all Quattro rights to another company, Novell; so future versions
of Quattro will be published by Novell instead of Borland.
Unfortunately, Novell has a history of charging high prices.
What to buy
If you have an Apple
2GS, get Appleworks GS. If you have a different Apple 2, get
Appleworks 3.
If you have a Mac, get
Excel.
If you have an IBM PC
(or clone), get 1-2-3 version 2.4, 1-2-3 home version, Excel 5,
Quattro Pro 5, Quattro Pro SE. 1-2-3 version 2.4 is what most
businesses buy; it's the ``standard''. If your job requires you
to learn 1-2-3 but you can't afford the full version, buy the
home version. Of all the spreadsheet programs, Excel 5 is the
most modern and most fun; but it requires you to buy Windows.
Quattro Pro 5 for Windows is similar to Excel 5; if it's still on
sale for $40, grab it! If you don't have enough hardware to run
Windows pleasantly (at least a 386 with 4M of RAM), get Quattro
Pro 5 for DOS, which has some of the thrills of Quattro Pro 5 for
Windows. If you're on a tight budget, get Quattro Pro SE, since
it's available for $16 and is much nicer than cheap clones such
as Twin, VP-Planner, and As-Easy-As.