4 ms·
Excel's basic math errors are 99% of the reason I do my stats with python.
by pstephens 15y ago
Excel's basic math errors are 99% of the reason I do my stats with python.
- Volpe 15y agoCare to elaborate?
- tedunangst 15y agohttp://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft-excel/archive/2007/09/25/calculation-issue-update.aspx http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft-excel/archive/2007/09/25...
- SoftwareMaven 15y agoThat's not a math error, that's a display error. I'm no fan of Office, but that would not be a reason to fear Excel's ability to calculate correctly.
- nitrogen 15y agoDuring the whole OOXML debacle, there were many examples discovered of ambiguous or flat-out wrong behavior in various versions of Excel over the years, the kind of wrong behavior that could easily have altered the outcome of financial transactions that were managed using spreadsheets. You can probably find some if you hunt for them on Groklaw. I seem to remember one related to a date basis parameter, so that might be a good first keyword set to try.
- chokma 15y agoRob Weir has pointed out a lot of OOXML-problems over the years: http://www.robweir.com/blog/2007/07/formula-for-failure.html http://www.robweir.com/blog/2007/07/formula-for-failure.html http://www.robweir.com/blog/2008/05/fractured-yearfrac-and-discounted-disc.html http://www.robweir.com/blog/2008/05/fractured-yearfrac-and-d...
- pbhjpbhj 15y ago1 + 1 = 3 Not a maths error, only a display error.
- binarycheese 15y agoExcel only adds up to about 6 decimals. I worked on a project of an Endowment Fund (billions) and Excel was flat out wrong when computing billions over decades. The worst part is: Excel is the Dogma. If your results do not match with Excel, make it.
- tedunangst 15y agoI was guessing that's what pstephens was referring to, but he hasn't elaborated.
- SoftwareMaven 15y agoBest of both(ish) worlds: use python in LibreOffice.