Home | Polski
	> Computer history > Articles > Spreadsheets > “What is this VisiCalc, anyway?”
Go back

Reprinted from Personal Computing, issue 2/82, pp. 154. What is this VisiCalc, anyway? Many articles in this and other publications mention VisiCalc, which may lead people to wonder just what this program is. It’s said that VisiCalc has been a best seller since its introduction, but what does it do? Usually the answer to that question is simply stated: VisiCalc is an electronic spread sheet. What does this mean? The best way to think of VisiCalc is to think of its mechanical predecessor – ledger paper. VisiCalc puts ledger paper on the monitor screen. Then a user enters whatever he wishes onto the ledger paper through the keyboard. He simply moves the cursor to the position he wants and enters either a fixed value, a label or a formula in that position. But VisiCalc is much more. Just as word processing is a quantum leap ahead of mechanical typing, an electronic spread sheet is miles ahead of ledger paper. If the user makes a mistake, it’s corrected as easily as making a new entry. No erasing is needed. The format is flexible, so if another column of figures must be added, a few keystrokes accomplish the task. Using ledger paper, one might have to start over if his original format didn’t work. This flexible format is only a small part of VisiCalc’s power. The real news comes in its ability to answer the question, “what if?” Just what does that mean? Think of the number of times you have gone through an elaborate plan – one that involved numerical calculations – and worked the structure through to a conclusion. Upon presenting that result to superiors, you found the work destroyed by the simple question, “What if your assumptions aren’t valid?” With VisiCalc, this need be no cause for alarm. Your assumptions are represented by numbers on the electronic spread sheet. To change the assumptions, simply change the numbers. The program automatically calculates the new results that flow from the change. Many people say this ability to “what if” any kind of problem is VisiCalc’s greatest advantage. In addition to VisiCalc, there are other programs of this type available. Anytime a product enjoys the success of Personal Software’s hit package it will soon have a number of competitors including: SuperCalc, from Sorcim, located in Santa Clara, Calif. T/Maker, from Lifeboat Associates, in New York. CalcStar, from Micropro, in San Raphael, Calif. Microplan, from Chang Laboratories, in Cupertino, Calif. Execuplan, from Vector Graphic, in Westlake Village, Calif. These programs run on different machines, so anyone thinking of purchasing one should ensure that the one he buys will do the job.

Page added on 22nd September 2004. Copyright © 2002-2005 Marcin Wichary	Printable version | Contact | Site map