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Don't we ever learn. We've known since VisiCalc in the '80s not to trust spreadsheets for important data without crosschecking the results. The question is why
by hilbert42 2y ago
Don't we ever learn. We've known since VisiCalc in the '80s not to trust spreadsheets for important data without crosschecking the results.
The question is why do we still use substandard tools for processing important data like this.
- lukan 2y ago"The question is why do we still use substandard tools for processing important data like this." Because there is no better alternative (yet)? A better alternative needs to be really better, to justify the effort of people relearning how to do things in this better tool then.
- jasinjames 2y agoI think another factor is that the spreadsheet model has basically zero barrier to entry from a users perspective. You can have elementary school students punch data from a classroom experiment into an excel table, which is great! Any replacement system which, for example, enforced a strong separation between operations, input reference data and output result data would require users to learn the model before attempting to use the software. This is a pretty big ask, especially since lots of small-scale users wouldn't see an immediate benefit. I think of it like the tradeoff between dynamic and static typing when programming- it's the same "upfront mental overhead versus long term maintainability" question IMO.
- eviks 2y agoThere isn't much relearning needed since errors like the one described in the article illustrate that people don't know much about this tool either And Sheets isn't "really better", yet gained a noticeable share