Comments on: How Long Have You Been Using Excel? http://debradalgleish.com/blog/2010/02/28/how-long-have-you-been-using-excel/ Behind the Scenes with an Excel consultant and website owner Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:23:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Debra Dalgleish http://debradalgleish.com/blog/2010/02/28/how-long-have-you-been-using-excel/comment-page-1/#comment-667 Debra Dalgleish Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:31:02 +0000 http://debradalgleish.com/blog/?p=123#comment-667 Thanks Khushnood, it's interesting to see how you ended up in Excel, and how you learned along the way. Can't imagine spreadsheet life without Undo though! Thanks Khushnood, it’s interesting to see how you ended up in Excel, and how you learned along the way. Can’t imagine spreadsheet life without Undo though!

]]> By: Khushnood Viccaji http://debradalgleish.com/blog/2010/02/28/how-long-have-you-been-using-excel/comment-page-1/#comment-663 Khushnood Viccaji Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:12:05 +0000 http://debradalgleish.com/blog/?p=123#comment-663 Just stumbled upon this thread, so here's my 2-bits. I started with Lotus 123 back in 1990. Went on to Quattro Pro (4, then 5) for DOS, when I changed jobs. I was horrified when I saw the new UI, and drop-down menus (instead of the familiar '/' menus of Lotus 123! But the WYSIWYG viewing and printing feature (among many other new features) convinced me to switch QPro. Not that I had a choice, anyway ! With QPro, my spreadsheet skills really improved dramatically, mainly because of its different programming language. I remember pressing Shift + F3, to show a list of key-words for various commands. With Lotus 123, you had to literally memorize or write-down the key-stroke sequence and type it *exactly* that way, to run a macro. And if one key-stroke was wrong or missed out... well, you could even end up deleting your data ! And there was no UNDO back then... ;-) I think QPro 5 was among the first spreadsheet programs with multiple sheet tabs. What a boon it was for people like me, who had to manage hundreds of files before that, while setting up an MIS systems with linked formulas. THEN someone showed me the power of PivotTables in Excel 4.0 (or was it 5.0)... And I was hooked ! Never looked back since then. AdamV mentioned about being self-taught and learning from the built-in help system. I have been through a similar experience... I've learnt most of my Excel in version 5.0 which had a fantastic help system with excellent step-wise tutorials to achieve many tasks. And of course Walkenbach's Excel for Dummies book ! Cheers! Khushnood Just stumbled upon this thread, so here’s my 2-bits.
I started with Lotus 123 back in 1990. Went on to Quattro Pro (4, then 5) for DOS, when I changed jobs. I was horrified when I saw the new UI, and drop-down menus (instead of the familiar ‘/’ menus of Lotus 123!
But the WYSIWYG viewing and printing feature (among many other new features) convinced me to switch QPro. Not that I had a choice, anyway !
With QPro, my spreadsheet skills really improved dramatically, mainly because of its different programming language. I remember pressing Shift + F3, to show a list of key-words for various commands. With Lotus 123, you had to literally memorize or write-down the key-stroke sequence and type it *exactly* that way, to run a macro.
And if one key-stroke was wrong or missed out… well, you could even end up deleting your data !
And there was no UNDO back then… ;-)
I think QPro 5 was among the first spreadsheet programs with multiple sheet tabs.
What a boon it was for people like me, who had to manage hundreds of files before that, while setting up an MIS systems with linked formulas.
THEN someone showed me the power of PivotTables in Excel 4.0 (or was it 5.0)… And I was hooked ! Never looked back since then.

AdamV mentioned about being self-taught and learning from the built-in help system.
I have been through a similar experience… I’ve learnt most of my Excel in version 5.0 which had a fantastic help system with excellent step-wise tutorials to achieve many tasks.
And of course Walkenbach’s Excel for Dummies book !

Cheers!
Khushnood

]]> By: Debra Dalgleish http://debradalgleish.com/blog/2010/02/28/how-long-have-you-been-using-excel/comment-page-1/#comment-455 Debra Dalgleish Thu, 05 Aug 2010 20:36:15 +0000 http://debradalgleish.com/blog/?p=123#comment-455 Thanks, Ken, great story, and I guess you've stopped using the Transition keys now. And you're right - some consistency in data entry would be nice. I'd rather have the number/number or number-number treated as strings, than automatically changed to dates. I'm sure the next 25 years will be interesting, and all the current bugs will be fixed in that period! Thanks, Ken, great story, and I guess you’ve stopped using the Transition keys now.
And you’re right – some consistency in data entry would be nice. I’d rather have the number/number or number-number treated as strings, than automatically changed to dates.
I’m sure the next 25 years will be interesting, and all the current bugs will be fixed in that period!

]]> By: Ken Macdonald http://debradalgleish.com/blog/2010/02/28/how-long-have-you-been-using-excel/comment-page-1/#comment-452 Ken Macdonald Thu, 05 Aug 2010 04:02:37 +0000 http://debradalgleish.com/blog/?p=123#comment-452 I think I first started using Excel in 1996 but my spreadsheet introduction was Visicalc back in 1982 which was probably more responsible for Apples early success than any other factor. From 84 I used 123 and was welded on until my employer changed to Excel. The 123 macro language was far more simpler but still effective compared to the verbose VBA. For a long time I used transition key strokes which meant that in many cases I could complete many tasks far faster than using the mouse (much to the annoyance of my peers). Would I go back to 123 now - NO. Interesting to note other observations about key entry styles. There are times where I get annoyed by some of excels behaviour. If it is smart enough to assume an unambiguous numeric entry then why does it treat "number/number" or "number+number" as strings? The other inconsistency is its inability to assume a multi-cell highlighted area as the default print region - I think the only operation where you ignore a selected area when carrying out a process. Along the way also used an early mainframe spreadsheet version which had a split screen with one section defining the relationships and the other section displaying the result (cumbersome!), another Lotus product Symphony, Framework and also Multiplan Been a great ride - Whats the next 25 years going to be like? I think I first started using Excel in 1996 but my spreadsheet introduction was Visicalc back in 1982 which was probably more responsible for Apples early success than any other factor. From 84 I used 123 and was welded on until my employer changed to Excel. The 123 macro language was far more simpler but still effective compared to the verbose VBA. For a long time I used transition key strokes which meant that in many cases I could complete many tasks far faster than using the mouse (much to the annoyance of my peers). Would I go back to 123 now – NO.

Interesting to note other observations about key entry styles. There are times where I get annoyed by some of excels behaviour. If it is smart enough to assume an unambiguous numeric entry then why does it treat “number/number” or “number+number” as strings? The other inconsistency is its inability to assume a multi-cell highlighted area as the default print region – I think the only operation where you ignore a selected area when carrying out a process.

Along the way also used an early mainframe spreadsheet version which had a split screen with one section defining the relationships and the other section displaying the result (cumbersome!), another Lotus product Symphony, Framework and also Multiplan

Been a great ride – Whats the next 25 years going to be like?

]]> By: Debra Dalgleish http://debradalgleish.com/blog/2010/02/28/how-long-have-you-been-using-excel/comment-page-1/#comment-387 Debra Dalgleish Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:06:28 +0000 http://debradalgleish.com/blog/?p=123#comment-387 Thanks Ann! It's interesting to see the paths that led people to Excel. Thanks Ann! It’s interesting to see the paths that led people to Excel.

]]> By: Ann http://debradalgleish.com/blog/2010/02/28/how-long-have-you-been-using-excel/comment-page-1/#comment-385 Ann Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:44:15 +0000 http://debradalgleish.com/blog/?p=123#comment-385 I was introduced to it in 1994, but I had been using Lotus 1-2-3 and Quattro Pro prior to that. I was introduced to it in 1994, but I had been using Lotus 1-2-3 and Quattro Pro prior to that.

]]> By: Debra Dalgleish http://debradalgleish.com/blog/2010/02/28/how-long-have-you-been-using-excel/comment-page-1/#comment-136 Debra Dalgleish Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:11:33 +0000 http://debradalgleish.com/blog/?p=123#comment-136 Thanks Fred! That's a great story, and I remember that there were lots of disks required to install Excel, back in the day. Thanks Fred! That’s a great story, and I remember that there were lots of disks required to install Excel, back in the day.

]]> By: Frederick Chidester http://debradalgleish.com/blog/2010/02/28/how-long-have-you-been-using-excel/comment-page-1/#comment-133 Frederick Chidester Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:50:27 +0000 http://debradalgleish.com/blog/?p=123#comment-133 I used Lotus 123 from the boys up in Cambridge, MA loved it. I was able to work it on a NEC computer, that my wife brought for me at the cost of $5000 inc a wide carriage printer. At the time there were computer shows held each year in New York City. Lotus would have their Yellow and Black banners and the crowds were all around that display area. I walked a little ways away from them as they were passing out all kinds of material. I happen to go over to the Microsoft booth and there wasn’t too many people there. I got into a conversation with one of the people there and just happen that he was the Excel promoter so to say. I remember saying “Well you really think that this will compete with them over there?” “It’s better you can do more with it.” We talked for while, he showed me this and that. Just as I was about to leave, we all had bags of misc. goodies, he reached over and dropped into my bag some articles, pens etc. On my way home on the train with my friends we were comparing our take of the loot, when I pulled out three packages of floppy disks, I think there was like ten disks in each package, which was required to load the programs. I couldn’t believe it, used it and started to learn it. Short time later, both the shows stopped and so did Lotus, in part they went with IBM but it was never the same again. I used Lotus 123 from the boys up in Cambridge, MA loved it. I was able to work it on a NEC computer, that my wife brought for me at the cost of $5000 inc a wide carriage printer. At the time there were computer shows held each year in New York City. Lotus would have their Yellow and Black banners and the crowds were all around that display area. I walked a little ways away from them as they were passing out all kinds of material. I happen to go over to the Microsoft booth and there wasn’t too many people there. I got into a conversation with one of the people there and just happen that he was the Excel promoter so to say. I remember saying “Well you really think that this will compete with them over there?” “It’s better you can do more with it.” We talked for while, he showed me this and that. Just as I was about to leave, we all had bags of misc. goodies, he reached over and dropped into my bag some articles, pens etc. On my way home on the train with my friends we were comparing our take of the loot, when I pulled out three packages of floppy disks, I think there was like ten disks in each package, which was required to load the programs. I couldn’t believe it, used it and started to learn it. Short time later, both the shows stopped and so did Lotus, in part they went with IBM but it was never the same again.

]]> By: Debra Dalgleish http://debradalgleish.com/blog/2010/02/28/how-long-have-you-been-using-excel/comment-page-1/#comment-111 Debra Dalgleish Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:17:15 +0000 http://debradalgleish.com/blog/?p=123#comment-111 @TheQ47, funny how the years sneak past you so quickly. I've never used DECcalc, but did plenty of word processing on a VAX-11/780, years ago. @TheQ47, funny how the years sneak past you so quickly. I’ve never used DECcalc, but did plenty of word processing on a VAX-11/780, years ago.

]]> By: TheQ47 http://debradalgleish.com/blog/2010/02/28/how-long-have-you-been-using-excel/comment-page-1/#comment-110 TheQ47 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:22:14 +0000 http://debradalgleish.com/blog/?p=123#comment-110 I can't believe I've been using Excel for so long, but I think I can go back to 1994 with it. Prior to that I was using a spreadsheet program called (I think) DECcalc, which was part of the DEC All-In-One system which was in use by my employer at the time I started working for them (1989). Believe it or not, while DECcalc was phased out a number of years ago, we were still using the All-in-one system for our mail and some WP until last year, when the project to phase it out began! I can’t believe I’ve been using Excel for so long, but I think I can go back to 1994 with it. Prior to that I was using a spreadsheet program called (I think) DECcalc, which was part of the DEC All-In-One system which was in use by my employer at the time I started working for them (1989). Believe it or not, while DECcalc was phased out a number of years ago, we were still using the All-in-one system for our mail and some WP until last year, when the project to phase it out began!

]]>