HISTORIC SPREADSHEET RESEARCH PROJECT

In tabular data lies truth

Spreadsheets are a part of life. They are the single tool we use to perform mathematical calculations, process data, present information, and make decisions – regardless of how simple or complex these may be. We seldom stop and realize how often we use them, and how dependent our actions are on them

While the visual output of the product – a data-filled grid – has always been the same, we are generally unaware that behind the tabular screens lay ever-improving math crunching monsters built on over four decades of continuous innovation by some of the smartest programmers and product developers out there

This site was created by spreadsheet enthusiasts; people curious about the history of how they came to be. We took on the investigative task of identifying, contacting and interviewing the greatest contributors in the history of spreadsheets: businessmen, academics, programmers, project leaders, testers, archivists, etc. We are currently working on an ongoing historical review of the history of spreadsheet programs. In parallel, the team has acquired historical pieces from diverse sources worldwide, to conform the largest existing collection of spreadsheet software. The collection has hundreds of items covering from the first theoretical investigations in the 60s to the most sophisticated applications currently used

This site is essentially the digital catalog of the physical collection. If you know anything about the items, we would love to hear it, so please comment. New items are added to the collection continuously, so please check back soon to see the updates