3 ms·

We could say that for pretty much any programming environment, couldn't we? I feel like HN is often populated by rather skilled and rather disciplined software

We could say that for pretty much any programming environment, couldn't we? I feel like HN is often populated by rather skilled and rather disciplined software engineers, and for them almost any language can be a pristine tool and a code base can be beautiful and clean. For someone who may be analytically capable but not a software developer, I feel that Excel can be the correct tool even if it yields some ugly "code bases". The tool you have at hand is often the most expedient tool to use even if not perhaps the absolute best.

constantcrying 4y ago
Excel is much worse than most other programming environments. It inherently hides context, the flow of data and how code relates to one another. It makes it extremely difficult to create software where you can follow the flow of data, moreso than basically and other programming environment. Excel has a specific use case. That use case is not developing complex software, but quick and simple analysis of data. If you try anyways the result will be bad and unmaintainable.
maximus-decimus 4y ago
A fundamental difference is Excel just doesn't work with the tools devs are used to for ensuring code quality. How to you version control Excel sheets? I guess you can technically use git but the diffs will be completely useless. How do you run unit/integration tests on an excel sheet?
- pjacotg 4y ago
  In my previous job I used a Python library called openpyxl to write a suite of unit tests for some unwieldy spreadsheets that our team owned. The tests were run every time the sheets were updated so we had a form of test driven development when working with the sheets. There was a long running project on the go to retire the spreadsheets and replace them with a proper application but that was a multiyear effort.

3 ms·

We could say that for pretty much any programming environment, couldn't we? I feel like HN is often populated by rather skilled and rather disciplined software

by BirAdam 4y ago

constantcrying 4y ago
Excel is much worse than most other programming environments. It inherently hides context, the flow of data and how code relates to one another. It makes it extremely difficult to create software where you can follow the flow of data, moreso than basically and other programming environment. Excel has a specific use case. That use case is not developing complex software, but quick and simple analysis of data. If you try anyways the result will be bad and unmaintainable.
maximus-decimus 4y ago
A fundamental difference is Excel just doesn't work with the tools devs are used to for ensuring code quality. How to you version control Excel sheets? I guess you can technically use git but the diffs will be completely useless. How do you run unit/integration tests on an excel sheet?
- pjacotg 4y ago
  In my previous job I used a Python library called openpyxl to write a suite of unit tests for some unwieldy spreadsheets that our team owned. The tests were run every time the sheets were updated so we had a form of test driven development when working with the sheets. There was a long running project on the go to retire the spreadsheets and replace them with a proper application but that was a multiyear effort.