# Spreadsheets and AI

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spreadsheets-and-ai/1027975>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 25, 2026, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spreadsheets-and-ai/1027975 "2026-02-25T21:38:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 130

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**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2026, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spreadsheets-and-ai/1027975/130 "2026-03-20T00:18:07Z")

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I consider Microsoft Excel the single greatest piece of commercial software ever, and #2 is not even close.

> [@What is the greatest (most influential, whatever) computer program ever written?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-most-influential-whatever-computer-program-ever-written/830575/46):
>
> Appreciate the responses, everyone. My nomination is spreadsheets - I can go with “Excel” or “Visicalc-Lotus-Excel” or whatever, but in terms of productivity, usefulness, variety of output, and more, it’s hard to beat Excel. However, TCP/IP and the \*nix kernel are extremely strong contenders, as well as the C/COBOL/FORTRAN compilers mentioned. Does HTML count? Wait! I’m the OP - of course it counts! wink Baron Greenback, apparently I wasn’t |337 enough (or I forgot) - what did adding the s…

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