The Fascinating History of Microsoft Excel: The Rise of the World’s Most Popular Spreadsheet Program

Microsoft Excel is a popular spreadsheet program that was first released in 1985 as part of the Microsoft Office suite.

The first version of Microsoft Excel was written specifically for the Apple Macintosh computer. It replaced Microsoft’s earlier Mutiplan spreadsheet product.

Excell 1985 logo
Excell 1985 logo

 

It was initially created by a team of engineers led by Charles Simonyi and Richard Brodie, who were working on a project for the Macintosh.

Excel was designed to help people organize and analyze their data, and its original version was fairly basic compared to what we have today. It included features like the ability to create and edit basic spreadsheets, perform simple calculations, and create charts and graphs.

Over the years, Excel has gone through many updates and improvements. In the early 1990s, Microsoft released new versions of Excel for Windows, which included many new features like support for larger data sets, more advanced calculation capabilities, and improved support for graphics and charts.

In the late 1990s, Excel became even more powerful with the introduction of new features like pivot tables, which made it easier for users to analyze and summarize large amounts of data, and support for macros, which allowed users to automate complex tasks.

Today, Excel is one of the most widely used spreadsheet programs in the world, and is used by millions of people for a wide range of tasks, including budgeting, data analysis, and project management. It continues to evolve and improve, with new versions being released regularly that include even more powerful features and capabilities.

Overall, Microsoft Excel has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the 1980s, and it remains an incredibly useful tool for anyone who needs to work with large amounts of data. Whether you’re a student, a business professional, or just someone who likes to keep track of your finances, Excel is a program that can help you stay organized and on top of your game.

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