Spreadsheet

2 definitions found

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

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

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:



  spreadsheet
       
           (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)