Think SAS. Their customers have been answering this exact question for a very long time. Give me R with a real GUI and a text editor so I can inspect the CRAN package that tells me 2 + 2 = 3.9999995559
Does R Commander fit your needs?
Ask HN: What can't you do in Excel?
121–130 of 201 posts
Re: Ask HN: What can't you do in Excel?
#122Separation of data, formulas, and graphs (a la MVC). It shouldn't be a mystery to me whether a number is data I've entered, or a result of a computation.
It should also have a real solver, so I don't have to work out formulas on paper first. If I can type in some equations (legibly) and it's possible to derive the data I want from the data and formulas I've given, then just do it.
(I understand Lotus Improv got this right. In fact, from what I've read about it, Lotus Improv got many things right. A modern clone of Improv would be cool.)
Also, it should know units. If my search engine can do unit conversions on the fly, my spreadsheet ought to be able to.
Better graphing. I'm not sure exactly what I want, but every time I try to make a graph in a spreadsheet, I end up with something that doesn't look at all like I wanted.
N.B., I've basically given up on spreadsheets. For lists, I use an outliner. For simple math, I use a HLL like Ruby or Lisp or Octave. I suspect if there was an OmniOutliner for Windows, Excel would die overnight.
Re: Ask HN: What can't you do in Excel?
#123Here are some features that would be nice in Excel: 1. Programmability in something other than VBA (Python?). 2. Online spreadsheets like Google. 3. Better search and replace. 4. Ability to reference tables through URLs so they could show up in blogs and in HTML. Something like this: http://ycspreadsheets.com/joe/doc1.ss?s=1&block=a1:c10. This should produce HTML that some javascript can replace in my blog with the t…
I thought number 5 was already possible in excel :/
It is already possible in Excel, but it is very poorly documented.
I have a few sheets that I use which pull from a non-ODBC URL using http. It populates a range of cells with new data automatically each time the spreadsheet is opened. (on a Mac too).
Re: Ask HN: What can't you do in Excel?
#124Here are some features that would be nice in Excel: 1. Programmability in something other than VBA (Python?). 2. Online spreadsheets like Google. 3. Better search and replace. 4. Ability to reference tables through URLs so they could show up in blogs and in HTML. Something like this: http://ycspreadsheets.com/joe/doc1.ss?s=1&block=a1:c10. This should produce HTML that some javascript can replace in my blog with the t…
what about being able to specify linear algebraic manipulations of part of the spread sheets, that would go a long way to make many things easier (sort of a mini matlab, but done right)
There is an equation tool in Excel for this purpose.
Re: Ask HN: What can't you do in Excel?
#125Oh my goodness, you're going to get my spreadsheet rant. This is what frustrates me every single time I use Excel (or the Google Docs spreadsheet, for that matter). I may not be answering your question since I'm talking about usability instead of more powerful features, but I can't but imagine that there'd be a market for simple and easy to use, even if it turns out it's not going to be addressed by your particular s…
When Excel asks if you want to use the list builder, you do. That is exactly what it does.
With the list builder you are always given an extra row at the bottom to continue adding to the list. Any formulas below the list builder will be pushed down and expanded.
The list builder also turns on Auto Filters for the list as well.
Re: Ask HN: What can't you do in Excel?
#126Instead of "new, more powerful spreadsheet", how about providing spreadsheet interface for a relational database? Of course, if you want it to be successful, you need to be able to import Excel spreadsheets as is, including macros and formula, and you also may need to maintain the linking to/from other microsoft artifacts.
Set the Excel Spreadsheet to pull from a remote data source using ODBC.
That gives the added security of allowing people to play with the data without changing the data in the database.
Re: Ask HN: What can't you do in Excel?
#12765,000. (that's the maximum number of rows in Excel before 2007). I'd like something similar to SPSS, which is more convenient for tables with lots of rows and separates the data from the formulae. A tool for working with streaming data. Also, charting that works for large amounts data. Try having Excel chart 65,000 rows and you'll have time to make coffee while you wait. There are no ways to zoom or analyze Excel ch…
Take a look at SQL Server Reporting Services. It's a charting and reporting tool over SQL Server (and I thinkg any other ODBC/OLEDB source), it works over large datasets, has both Web UI and desktop UI, and comes in the box with SQL Server itself. FD: I work in SQL Server, athough not on Reporting Services. FWIW, Reporting is a huge success with our customers.
It is also available as a free download for developers to try it out and learn / test.
I have used SQL Reporting Services as well as Business Objects tools and I am pretty impressed with the latest releases from MS.
Re: Ask HN: What can't you do in Excel?
#128Add more dimensions for the spreadsheet data. Like a 3d Cube.
like an OLAP viewer?
Re: Ask HN: What can't you do in Excel?
#129Earlier quoted context omitted.
1. Already doable to a significant extent http://www.google.com/search?q=excel+python 2. Well, Google does this :) 3. Follows from 1. 4. Good idea, but why not just use this: http://www.google.com/search?q=spreadsheet+widget Or http://docs.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=55244... 5. Already easily doable in Excel http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-6115870.h... In Google Spreadsheet, just us…
Can't you accomplish #2 via Sharepoint or Office Online? I know there are some options if you click Windows Logo > Publish in Excel 2007.
I think so. But I don't think the published spreadsheet can be edited online.
Re: Ask HN: What can't you do in Excel?
#130Here are some features that would be nice in Excel: 1. Programmability in something other than VBA (Python?). 2. Online spreadsheets like Google. 3. Better search and replace. 4. Ability to reference tables through URLs so they could show up in blogs and in HTML. Something like this: http://ycspreadsheets.com/joe/doc1.ss?s=1&block=a1:c10. This should produce HTML that some javascript can replace in my blog with the t…
Gnumeric is programmable in Python