VisiCalc Turns 25, Creators Interviewed

Xaroth writes "It's hard to believe that it's already been 25 years since the release of one of the world's first 'killer apps.' 1979 saw the creation of VisiCalc, the first microcomputer-based spreadsheet and the single application that launched widespread computer use among businesses. To remember this event, PC World has published portions of interviews with the three co-creators of the modern spreadsheet: Dan Bricklin, Bob Frankston, and Dan Fylstra. Alternately, check out the Software History website for more information on this and other historical bits."

Comments

Would they...

[Jailbrekr]

Would they have ever written it, knowing that, in the end, a paper clip would be used to teach people how to use a spreadsheet.....

Happy Anniversary -- Remember the Visicalc song!

[Hobart]

Visicalc
Mail-from: : SU-NET host SU-LOTS-A rcvd at 3-Jan-83 0246-PST
Date: : 3 Jan 1983 0246-PST
From: : K.Kanef at SU-LOTS-A (Bob Kanefsky)
Subject: : Visicalc
To: : Songs at SU-LOTS-A
Parody-of: : Physical (Olivia Newton John)

Visicalc
Parody written by Bob Kanefsky
Idea suggested by Judy Anderson

Been working out the figures day and night,
Making good column'ation.
I gotta add them up just right --
And know what they mean.

I pencil in the fields I \guess/ you want,
Adding and subtracting duly,
Movin' my eraser up and down and
Horizontally.

Let's get Visicalc,
Visicalc.
I wanna get Visicalc.
Lemme get your budget done,
Your budget done.
Lemme get your budget done,

(chorus)

I been patient, I been good.
Tryin' to make a hand-drawn table.
My interest in your figures wanes --
You know what I mean.

I'm sure you'll understand my point of view;
We know each other fiscally:
You gotta know you're gettin' up
My semi-annual fee.

(chorus)

(chorus)

Let's get annual,
Annual.
I wanna get annual.
Let's get into annual.
Lemme get your budget done,
Your budget done.
Lemme get your budget done,

(I know there was another version of this in an old Atari magazine that said something about "lemme see your diode's rock", but Google hasn't seen it. ;)

Re:jEdit beats the pants off it

[King of the Trolls]

and it only takes 2Gb RAM to run it in sluggish mode.

Ah ...

[Sonic McTails]

Hmm, a program from 1975 is still better then Execl 2004

You mean..

[dj245]

You mean to tell me that solitare was not the first killer app?

Re:You mean..

[PCM2]

The second killer app was clearly the hotkey you could press in games that would instantly switch over to a simulated VisiCalc spreadsheet when the boss walked by your workstation.

Re:what about the NEXT killer app?

[awful]

"Visiclac kicked off ebusiness, email gave us instant global communications, mobile phones let us do that on the move, whats next?"

Rocketpacks with streaming audio obviously...