VisiCalc - the first spreadsheet - was entirely text based and people found it useful enough that it exploded in popularity and was very successful on the Apple

VisiCalc - the first spreadsheet - was entirely text based and people found it useful enough that it exploded in popularity and was very successful on the Apple ][ until the advent of the IBM PC when Lotus 1-2-3 came and ate its lunch. Lotus was also text based.