spreadsheet

spreadsheet
    n 1: a screen-oriented interactive program enabling a user to
         lay out financial data on the screen
    

spreadsheet
worksheet

   <application, tool> (Or rarely "worksheet") A type of
   {application program} which manipulates numerical and string
   data in rows and columns of cells.  The value in a cell can be
   calculated from a formula which can involve other cells.  A
   value is recalculated automatically whenever a value on which
   it depends changes.  Different cells may be displayed with
   different formats.

   Some spreadsheet support three-dimensional matrices and cyclic
   references which lead to iterative calculation.

   An essential feature of a spreadsheet is the copy function
   (often using {drag-and-drop}).  A rectangular area may be
   copied to another which is a multiple of its size.  References
   between cells may be either absolute or relative in either
   their horizontal or vertical index.  All copies of an absolute
   reference will refer to the same row, column or cell whereas a
   relative reference refers to a cell with a given offset from
   the current cell.

   Many spreadsheets have a "What-if" feature.  The user gives
   desired end conditions and assigns several input cells to be
   automatically varied.  An area of the spreadsheet is assigned
   to show the result of various combinations of input values.

   Spreadsheets usually incorporate a {macro language}, which
   enables third-party writing of worksheet applications for
   commercial purposes.

   In the 1970s, a {screen editor} based calculation program
   called {Visi-Calc} was introduced.  It was probably the first
   commercial spreadsheet program.  Soon {Lotus Development
   Corporation} released the more sophisticated {Lotus 1-2-3}.
   Clones appeared, (for example {VP-Planner} from {Paperback
   Software} with {CGA} graphics, {Quattro} from {Borland}) but
   Lotus maintained its position with world-wide marketing and
   support - and lawyers!  For example, Borland was forced to
   abandon its Lotus-like {pop-up menu}.

   While still developing 1-2-3, Lotus introduced {Symphony},
   which had simultaneously active windows for the spreadsheet,
   graphs and a {word processor}.

   {Microsoft} produced {MultiPlan} for the {Macintosh}, which
   was followed by {Excel} for Macintosh, long before {Microsoft
   Windows} was developed.

   When {Microsoft Windows} arrived Lotus was still producing the
   {text-based} 1-2-3 and Symphony.  Meanwhile, {Microsoft}
   launched its {Excel} spreadsheet with interactive graphics,
   graphic charcters, mouse support and {cut-and-paste} to and
   from other Windows applications.  To compete with Windows
   spreadsheets, Lotus launched its {Allways} add-on for 1-2-3 -
   a post-processor that produced Windows-quality graphic
   characters on screen and printer.  The release of Lotus 1-2-3
   for Windows was late, slow and buggy.

   Today, Microsoft, Lotus, Borland and many other companies offer
   Windows-based spreadsheet programs.

   The main end-users of spreadsheets are business and science.

   Spreadsheets are an example of a non-algorithmic programming
   language.

   [Dates?]

   (1995-03-28)