On 1 Feb., 01:14, "Michael J. Mahon"  wrote:
>
> Since then, I use a spreadsheet for almost any "list" or
table function,
> since it is so easy to manipulate the rows and columns by inserting,
> deleting, sorting, and (yes!) computing.
>
> When Lotus 1-2-3 added graph plotting, it pushed the utility even
> higher for me, since I often try out ideas using a spreadsheet,
> graphing the results for both verification and insight.
>
> Probability chains, cellular automata, circuit simulation, and
> even income taxes (from estimates to final results) are easily handled
> by a spreadsheet, and an "experiment" can be completely re-done
> just by changing a number or formula and recalculating (and re-
> graphing ;-).
>
> If I could only have one computer "tool" it would be a spreadsheet,
> since it can do word processing, databases, calculation, graphing,
> and report writing.  I consider the spreadsheet to be the most
> versatile application yet devised!  And it has the advantage of
> having achieved a stable set of features, so that it is both
> compact and efficient.
>
> Of course, a programming language is the universal tool, but it
> has a substantially higher "barrier to entry" to make usable
> applications.  Spreadsheets are also programming languages, but
> relatively high-level, with inherent support for parallelism!

Hear! Hear! This is _exactly_ my opinion!

Spreadsheets are IMHO the true Swiss knife of applications!
They have evolved from the visionary calculating tool to an
all-encompassing piece of data manipulation. Of course large
databases are probably better managed with a real, pro-
fessional database program but you also don't fell a tree
with a Swiss knife (or at least not in the optimum amount
of time ;-).

With nearly all tasks at my job - when I have the freedom to
choose the tool - I take the spreadsheet (still Excel 2003 in
our case). Our company uses it for nearly all forms, too, so
only 'real text' like correspondence is the usual client for a
word processor.

Some colleagues argue that Excel is too complicated or that
they never got a training for it but IMHO these are only excuses
because they don't take the time to give the program a try and
exercise a bit. Some are lazy, some are overworked - and some
are overworked because they are lazy. Blunt saw in the forest...

Privately I use OpenOffice with its 'Calc' application which is
- for most tasks - as good as Excel (in other words: with my
mad math skillz I won't find real differences anyway!) and I
use it predominantly for the development of my game.

Not for hacking in the complete source (only tiny bits like inner
loops to mentally test them and counting cycles) but everything
else - split in two files ('whitebooks' if you so will):
The engine design and the content collection.

The former contains descriptions of the game flow (with
diagrams or simply by drawing frames around the cells), the
needed routines and editors, data structures (you can imagine
that!), functions like keyboard commands, status displays and
so on. In other words: Everything that could be re-used (with
small changes) for a different scenario...

The latter contains the 'identity' of the game: The design
premise, the storyline, the 'chapters', the description of the
world including the 'dramatis personae', geography, objects,
quests, puzzles, the language and words I want to use and
the various ideas I collect over the time and need to research.

The list of possibilities is nearly endless: In addition to the
things Michael mentioned I find hyperlinks extremely useful:
Not only to specific parts in the same sheet or one of the
many possible others, but also to websites like Wikipedia
and others with encyclopedic or reference character.
This is very helpful and time-saving as it literally opens up
the world and 'everything' is at the fingertips of the user
- without ever getting up! ;-)

bye
Marcus
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