VisiCalc
Quick Summary
VisiCalc was the first electronic spreadsheet program, released in 1979 for the Apple II computer. It revolutionized the use of personal computers for small businesses by simplifying bookkeeping tasks. Spreadsheets allow users to organize data in a two-dimensional grid and use formulas to perform calculations and analyze information. This capability enables "what-if" scenarios, where changes in one data point can be tracked to see their effect on other related data. VisiCalc's success demonstrated the practical utility of personal computers for business applications.123
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The first spreadsheet program was VisiCalc, written for the Apple II computer in 1979. For many users, this application most vividly showed the utility of personal computers for small businesses—in some cases turning a 20-hour-per-week bookkeeping chore into a few minutes of data entry. For example, a simple spreadsheet might…
Read MoreThe first spreadsheet program was VisiCalc, written for the Apple II computer in 1979. For many users, this application most vividly showed the utility of personal computers for small businesses—in some cases turning a 20-hour-per-week bookkeeping chore into a few minutes of data entry. For example, a simple spreadsheet might…
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computerFrom Star Trek to Microsoft…of an important program called VisiCalc, the industry’s first spreadsheet software. These games, in addition to demonstrating some of the microcomputer’s capabilities, helped to convince ordinary individuals, in particular small-business owners, that they could operate a computer.
Read More…of an important program called VisiCalc, the industry’s first spreadsheet software. These games, in addition to demonstrating some of the microcomputer’s capabilities, helped to convince ordinary individuals, in particular small-business owners, that they could operate a computer.
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computerApplication software…programmer named Bob Frankston developed VisiCalc, the first personal computer financial analysis tool. VisiCalc made business forecasting much simpler, allowing individuals to ask “What if” questions about numerical data and get the sort of immediate response that was not even possible for giant corporations using mainframe computer systems. Personal Software,…
Read More…programmer named Bob Frankston developed VisiCalc, the first personal computer financial analysis tool. VisiCalc made business forecasting much simpler, allowing individuals to ask “What if” questions about numerical data and get the sort of immediate response that was not even possible for giant corporations using mainframe computer systems. Personal Software,…
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