Spreadsheets and disasters

Cannot the auto-correct errors be avoided by selecting the type of data that is entered into a cell before data is entered?

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Swa said:
Oh the horror, 16,000 people that MIGHT have been in contact with a Covid positive individual while millions of Covid positive people are running around we never even knew the details of. It became apparent afterwards that contact tracing and forced quarantine was a sham.
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its amazing how crack pots can make any conversation about them and there tinfoil hat theories.
This isn't about your covidiot I must be heard, look at me im so very smart BS.

This about how tools can be incorrectly used. Come now read more than the headline.
 
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Pffft.

Google Sheets FTW!!!
 
chrisc said:
Cannot the auto-correct errors be avoided by selecting the type of data that is entered into a cell before data is entered?

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In principle yes. In practice very few (even highly educated individuals) understand all the subtleties of data types. Old school programmers had to learn this stuff the hard way (numeric overflow examples). Using the default type is often quicker and usually more accurate, but the errors are more subtle. Matt Parker explains this well.
 
I started with Visicalc and Lotus 1-2-3 almost 40 years ago, and have been using LibreOffice Calc for over 10 years (and MS-Excel before that), so I know Spreadsheet software reasonabley well. But very rarely in my almost 40 years in the IT Industry have I come across a company that formally trains their staff on the proper use and functionality of Office Software: It's usually just a case of someone from the office showing the new person "the way they do it". That is not proper training, and just compounds mistakes and misconceptions.
 
leafhead said:
I started with Visicalc and Lotus 1-2-3 almost 40 years ago, and have been using LibreOffice Calc for over 10 years (and MS-Excel before that), so I know Spreadsheet software reasonabley well. But very rarely in my almost 40 years in the IT Industry have I come across a company that formally trains their staff on the proper use and functionality of Office Software: It's usually just a case of someone from the office showing the new person "the way they do it". That is not proper training, and just compounds mistakes and misconceptions.
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The SA way, we don't train people - we just poach them for their skills from some where else - but probably not uniquely South African either
 
leafhead said:
I started with Visicalc and Lotus 1-2-3 almost 40 years ago, and have been using LibreOffice Calc for over 10 years (and MS-Excel before that), so I know Spreadsheet software reasonabley well. But very rarely in my almost 40 years in the IT Industry have I come across a company that formally trains their staff on the proper use and functionality of Office Software: It's usually just a case of someone from the office showing the new person "the way they do it". That is not proper training, and just compounds mistakes and misconceptions.
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I consider myself self taught, mainly via the internet.

Even when companies do provide excel training, it is too basic and generic i.e. waste of time.
 
Excel is the Dunning Kruger effect in action.
People will use it for all manner of things its not designed for, and when it catastrophically fails, suddenly its an IT problem.
 
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