[sokoloff]

Spreadsheets are one of the most popular and widespread computing platforms out there. Excel is almost surely the single largest no-code/low-code install and monthly-active-users base.

I don’t see spreadsheets as a failure nor evidence of poor state of computing or technical knowledge. If anything, I think they’re useful, practical, extensively used, and evidence that computing is working for people.

[shagie]

> Excel is almost surely the single largest no-code/low-code install and monthly-active-users base.

I'd argue even further that Excel is the most common flavor of LISP installed.

  =IF(A1 = 1, A2 * 3, MAX(A3, A4))

is remarkably similar to:

  (if (= A1 1) (* 3 A2) (max A3 A4))

The difference is mostly infix vs prefix and the naming of variables. Not only is Excel the single largest low code install, but its also a gateway to LISP if you introduce it to people correctly.

[kazinator]

Never mind IF, Excel now has LET and LAMBDA.

There is an n-ary AND function also; the documentation doesn't mention whether it's short-circuiting or not, and it doesn't return the last value if they are all true, just a Boolean true.

[shagie]

I haven't had the opportunity to use excel for a problem that would require a lambda yet.

But for those interested https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/lambda-the-ult...

My two examples were more of a "show a clear correspondence between the syntax of excel and lisp" for the "if someone knows basic excel, you can introduce them to lisp."

[kazinator]

If that worked for C programmers on Unix who use GNU Make, that would be cool.

   $(if $(filter foo.o,$(OBJS)),this,that)

[kkfx]

If you want AutoCAD offer a real lisp, AutoLISP, some users use it regularly without even knowing that's a real and powerful programming language. That's anyway do not make autocad, nor in general that kind of CAD something better then an archaic crap since the '60s. Parametric CAD are the modern and technically sound solution since the early '70s, even if in some sector they never get traction due to technicians ignorance and reactionarism.

That's a good proof of inability to evolve of sooooo many people...

[kkfx]

Many things are very widespread and are absolutely crap... Indeed MOST widespread and heavy used things happen to be crap.

Their failure is the fact that instead of simply they complicate life. And their users fails even to comprehend that since they do not know any other option. Oh, BTW the "no code/low code" is the biggest failure: users programming of classic system is the technical success, something simple enough that all users use without issue and still technically sound and effective. Dummy low-code/no-code modern environment who have already touched incredible horrific peaks like RENAMING a gene because excel convert it in a date prove only one thing: masochism is common and popular...