Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit
R and Python are both obvious replacements for data processing, and having the data itself appear in read-write columns of an Excel file is and has always been ludicrous.

Excel was for a time when programming meant more arcane languages. In 2026, there is no excuse for a business major not to know Python or R. They're both easy.

They are not nearly as easy as Excel, even for people who know those other languages well.
I don't think you understand what Excel is and what it does.
loading story #50490468
So your suggestion is replace excel with python and R? So when I send someone a spreadsheet instead I send them… a python script?
I feel some of these people posting have not thought too hard and/or don’t understand the actual requirements here.

Also Excel is probably the best thing MS produces. There is lower hanging fruit elsewhere

Excel is the best product I would never want to work with.

Unfortunately I have to.