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Using Excel As a 3D Graphics Engine

Posted by kdawson on from the right-tool-for-the-job dept.

simoniker writes "Obviously whimsical but slightly mind-blowing — an Eastern European coder has published video and the Excel tables to get full 3D wireframe running in Microsoft Excel. He even has solid polygonal graphics running. This isn't an Easter Egg by the Excel creators. Rather, he's using formulas to output the graphics, using two different methods, and showing all the variables on-screen in real time as the 3D is created."

22 of 292 comments (clear)

  1. Re:One can only ask... by 49152 · · Score: 5, Funny

    You sir are not a true geek ;-)

    He did it because he could, all other reasons would be redundant.

  2. This explains it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The DNF team has been waiting for the excel rounding errors to be fixed before release.

  3. Obligatory Joke.. by Matt+Amato · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apparently he's using Excel as his web server too...

    1. Re:Obligatory Joke.. by Nom+du+Keyboard · · Score: 5, Funny

      When your only tool is a hammer, you must make the whole rest of the world look like a nail.

      --
      "It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
  4. circa 1990 MS Works was a Turing Machine by davidwr · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've long forgotten how I did it, but I used the database application in MS-Works for Windows 3.0 as Turing Machine.

    Why? If you have to ask, get off Slashdot.

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
  5. Not to worry ... by gstoddart · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sure someone has either already done this in emacs, or soon will.

    Those guys have a mode for everything. :-P

    Cheers

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    1. Re:Not to worry ... by kalirion · · Score: 5, Funny

      Oh yeah! Good ol' C-x M-c M-vectorengine...

      Of course I still prefer butterflies.

  6. Not impressed by Rufus211 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I won't be impressed until Excel can pull of something as simple as a flight simulator.

  7. Re:One can only ask... by longacre · · Score: 5, Funny

    What's the Excel formula for getting laid?

    --
    Airplane Photos, Airline News, Planespotting Guides
  8. Re:One can only ask... by dvice_null · · Score: 5, Funny

    Not sure, but it probably has something to do with miscalculation.

  9. big whoop by FranTaylor · · Score: 5, Funny

    This was possible on a 7 MHz 68000 back in the day of the original mac. At 3 GHz he should be able to raytrace in Excel.

  10. Re:One can only ask... by alta · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hey, I'm a republican and a creationist. No one is going to convience me that this story was not worth of being posted or that I should turn in my card. Heck with an ID as low as mine, I doubt too many people would ask me to :)

    --
    Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
  11. Re:One can only ask... by legoman666 · · Score: 5, Funny

    alt-f4

  12. Re:One can only ask... by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 5, Funny

    "What's the Excel formula for getting laid?"

    I can give you the CSV version:

    Income, Car, Looks, Star Wars Fan, Flosses, Dress Quality, Glasses, Muscles, Fat
    $250k, Porsche, Good, 0, 1, >0.8, 0, 1, 0

    --

    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  13. Re:One can only ask... by uhlume · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's not how you spell 'IQ'.

    --
    SIERRA TANGO FOXTROT UNIFORM
  14. Re:One can only ask... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't think that's it.....I make six figures (that's six figures to the left of the decimal, thank you very much) and still rarely get laid......but then, I'm married, so I guess that's probably why.

  15. Re:A true geek... by thePowerOfGrayskull · · Score: 5, Funny

    Its kinda fun to... in Word ... executes a vba ... creates .. excel chart ... access database ... outlook. Eh? "Kind of fun"? Do you also find sticking your fingers into an electric pencil sharpener "fun"?
  16. Re:A true geek... by ParaShoot · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's not his finger. It's a space station?
  17. Re:One can only ask... by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 5, Funny

    "FAIL. you can't have extra spaces in a CSV, unless you drive a " Porsche"."

    Sorry. I'll append my CSV:

    Pedantic, Feelings of Superiority by Mastering of Mundane Technical Details, Nitpick a Comment About Why Geeks Don't Score
    0, 0, 0

    --

    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  18. Re:A true geek... by Translation+Error · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's ok; that's not a pencil sharpener, either.

    --
    When someone says, "Any fool can see ..." they're usually exactly right.
  19. Re:A true geek... by ArAgost · · Score: 5, Funny

    And it always shoots first :(((

  20. Re:One can only ask... by caferace · · Score: 5, Funny
    Heck with an ID as low as mine, I doubt too many people would ask me to :)


    Please turn in your card.