Spreadsheets Spreadsheets grew out of accountants

Lotus Corporation introduced the most widely accepted of the early computer spreadsheets, 1-2-3. This product offered simple approaches to common spreadsheet tasks by using macros (user-defined formulas) and offering a layout similar to what those already using columnar pads were used to. During the early 1980s, Lotus dominated the spreadsheet market, and introduced two additional products, Jazz and Symphony, that were closely related to 1-2-3, but not as successful.

Microsoft entered the spreadsheet arena with Excel, a product that, recognizing Lotus' domination of the market, enabled Lotus users to retain their 1-2-3 formats for entering macros. As Microsoft's graphical operating environment, Windows, expanded its market share, Excel for Windows began to erode Lotus' domination of the market. Today, Excel and Lotus both offer strong spreadsheet options for the Windows environment.

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gular worksheets, macro sheets, chart sheets or sheets with custom dialog boxes. Excel 5.0 continues the use of Wizards, tools that Microsoft introduced in version 4.0. The ChartWizard guides users through creating charts and graphs (from a variety of formats for the major chart types), and introduces additional wizards for importing text and creating functions. Excel also includes a TipWizard, which monitors how the user works, then offers tips on how the same tasks could be accomplished more efficiently. This context-sensitive training tool goes a long way toward introducing those unfamiliar with Excel's many features to the aspects of the package that they use most (Mossberg, February 3, 1994, p. B1). Like 1-2-3, Excel also uses the drag-and-drop feature for copying and moving data, but the program also uses mouse operations to fill an entire range automatically. If a new range of data is dragged onto a chart, the chart automatically incorporates the data as a new series. Drag and drop can also be used to embed an OLE object. Another training tool is that if the mouse pointer stays over an icon, a small message box appears briefly explaining the icon's purpose (Ray, January 17, 1994, p. 106). The program also uses a ne
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