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by CivBase 1777 days ago
Clippy: I see you're trying to create a database. Would you like to use Access instead?

I'm not sure this is really a problem Microsoft can solve as an Excel feature. I think the better approach would be for MS to identify common ways in which people misuse spreadsheets and create new tools to accommodate those use cases. With how commonly Excel is misused as a database, I think there's a market for an alternative to Access which is more accessible (no pun intended). Something with Excel-like spreadsheets/tabs to represent tables and Excel-like formulas for computed columns would be pretty neat.
1 comments
lowercased 1777 days ago
Excel can connect to a Jet DB, IIRC. If it can connect, it could probably also recognize common patterns and create some common Jet/Access structure to replicate the Excel structure on the fly. Basically, transparently use Access-like structure as the original source.

Just thinking off the top of my head. But... if that would be useful/doable, they may have already done it.

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robertlagrant 1777 days ago
Excel is like IE6 - so entrenched that it will take a decade to disrupt. Why innovate when there's no market need?
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