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Most of these sound like things a native programming language can do. Without being a damn excel file. So it’s basically an argument for making your config file

Most of these sound like things a native programming language can do. Without being a damn excel file. So it’s basically an argument for making your config files JavaScript, Python, etc.

mnstngr 3y ago
Having a visual way to configure this makes it much more accessible to non-programmers, with error checking available through the host (Excel, in this case), while also reducing the eng effort in building this. At Google, many internal tools use Sheets as their source of truth for config data, and it works really well.
- nonethewiser 3y ago
  > Having a visual way to configure this makes it much more accessible to non-programmers I agree completely but thats not the point he appears to be making. He never stated this was the use case and he reiterated that it was a bad idea which should never be done. Regardless, I’m saying those arent really unique advantages to excel. They just look unique compared to json, toml, yaml, etc.
  - hot_gril 3y ago
    I can't think of any data entry method more easily understood by non-programmers than an Excel spreadsheet (or Google Sheets etc). Repetitive data in particular is a breeze since you can drag-expand and use formulas. We use GSheets at work for configs created by non-programmers, and it works great.
    - nonethewiser 3y ago
      What is your point? You can see from my previous comment I already agree excel is user friendly for non programmers.
      - hot_gril 3y ago
        The user-friendliness is a unique advantage of Excel.
LeonenTheDK 3y ago
I think the difference there though is that an Excel file is a lot more approachable to non-technical folks (even superficially). Depends on what's being configured and by whom though.
dagw 3y ago
You're missing the point. Power came not from Excel the file format, but Excel the GUI tool for editing Excel files. You cannot have drop-downs and colour pickers and separate tabs and embedded images in a single python file without writing a a whole custom GUI config tool.
- nonethewiser 3y ago
  Python can and often is edited by GUI tools with color pickers and dropdowns. IDEs such as Vscode have these. Also, I said “most.” Not, “there exist no exceptions.”

Most of these sound like things a native programming language can do. Without being a damn excel file. So it’s basically an argument for making your config files JavaScript, Python, etc.

mnstngr 3y ago

Having a visual way to configure this makes it much more accessible to non-programmers, with error checking available through the host (Excel, in this case), while also reducing the eng effort in building this. At Google, many internal tools use Sheets as their source of truth for config data, and it works really well.

nonethewiser 3y ago
> Having a visual way to configure this makes it much more accessible to non-programmers I agree completely but thats not the point he appears to be making. He never stated this was the use case and he reiterated that it was a bad idea which should never be done. Regardless, I’m saying those arent really unique advantages to excel. They just look unique compared to json, toml, yaml, etc.
- hot_gril 3y ago
  I can't think of any data entry method more easily understood by non-programmers than an Excel spreadsheet (or Google Sheets etc). Repetitive data in particular is a breeze since you can drag-expand and use formulas. We use GSheets at work for configs created by non-programmers, and it works great.
  - nonethewiser 3y ago
    What is your point? You can see from my previous comment I already agree excel is user friendly for non programmers.
    - hot_gril 3y ago
      The user-friendliness is a unique advantage of Excel.

LeonenTheDK 3y ago

I think the difference there though is that an Excel file is a lot more approachable to non-technical folks (even superficially). Depends on what's being configured and by whom though.

dagw 3y ago

You're missing the point. Power came not from Excel the file format, but Excel the GUI tool for editing Excel files. You cannot have drop-downs and colour pickers and separate tabs and embedded images in a single python file without writing a a whole custom GUI config tool.

nonethewiser 3y ago
Python can and often is edited by GUI tools with color pickers and dropdowns. IDEs such as Vscode have these. Also, I said “most.” Not, “there exist no exceptions.”