5 ms·

The method I use and often encourage other people to use is version control latex and csv files and python scripts in git, which can do everything MS office doe

The method I use and often encourage other people to use is version control latex and csv files and python scripts in git, which can do everything MS office does. This has worked exactly zero times, so what I encourage others to do instead is… Use the format filename_YEAR_MO_DY_username.xlsx. This has the benefit that Lexicographic ordering every OS does in its file explorer is the same as chronological order, so it acts as a crude version control system.

intrepidhero 5y ago
> The method I use and often encourage other people to use is version control latex and csv files and python scripts in git, which can do everything MS office does. This has worked exactly zero times Yeah and, sadly, yeah. Someday.
xapata 5y ago
I add a letter to distinguish between updates made on the same day: 2021-10-08a, 2021-10-08b. So far no one has been so quick with updates that I've gone past z, but I'll have my y2k moment someday.
- SAI_Peregrinus 5y ago
  You can always go into the Greek letters. 2021-10-08α, etc.
  - xapata 5y ago
    That'd break my regex.
- gjvnq 5y ago
  Go the Excel route: .. z aa ab ac ... ba bb bc bd ... zz aaa aab aac ...
JadeNB 5y ago
> The method I use and often encourage other people to use is version control latex and csv files and python scripts in git, which can do everything MS office does. Unfortunately what MS Office does that people often want is "present an interface with which I'm familiar" and "read all these MS Office files that people send me", neither of which LaTeX, CSV, and Python handle well (although I wouldn't be surprised if there were a Python module for at least rudimentary support of MS Office file formats). Not to disagree with your main point—I also rely on that toolkit, though, as a not-very-computational mathematician, I find I don't have that much need for programming in my workflow—but I do think one has to be careful about what people are reluctant to give up.
Zababa 5y ago
> which can do everything MS office does Not if "being usable by the people you work with" is a requirement, sadly.

intrepidhero 5y ago

> The method I use and often encourage other people to use is version control latex and csv files and python scripts in git, which can do everything MS office does. This has worked exactly zero times Yeah and, sadly, yeah. Someday.

xapata 5y ago

I add a letter to distinguish between updates made on the same day: 2021-10-08a, 2021-10-08b. So far no one has been so quick with updates that I've gone past z, but I'll have my y2k moment someday.

SAI_Peregrinus 5y ago
You can always go into the Greek letters. 2021-10-08α, etc.
- xapata 5y ago
  That'd break my regex.
gjvnq 5y ago
Go the Excel route: .. z aa ab ac ... ba bb bc bd ... zz aaa aab aac ...

JadeNB 5y ago

> The method I use and often encourage other people to use is version control latex and csv files and python scripts in git, which can do everything MS office does. Unfortunately what MS Office does that people often want is "present an interface with which I'm familiar" and "read all these MS Office files that people send me", neither of which LaTeX, CSV, and Python handle well (although I wouldn't be surprised if there were a Python module for at least rudimentary support of MS Office file formats). Not to disagree with your main point—I also rely on that toolkit, though, as a not-very-computational mathematician, I find I don't have that much need for programming in my workflow—but I do think one has to be careful about what people are reluctant to give up.

Zababa 5y ago

> which can do everything MS office does Not if "being usable by the people you work with" is a requirement, sadly.