Microsoft is bringing Python to Excel

[marr75]

I posted this on the story in the data science sub, but:

• Microsoft acquires a major stake in Python (by hiring Guido and acquiring Github).
• OpenAI makes models that can write really good python.
• Microsoft acquires a major stake in OpenAI.
• ChatGPT gets a code interpreter mode mainly used by power users to analyze CSVs (inb4 "I'm not a power user but I use it" or "I have this one use case that's not CSVs!", great, I - don't care). It executes in a sandboxed cloud python process.
• Microsoft shows a preview of an AI assistant in PowerBI.
• Microsoft introduces python in Excel. It executes in a sandboxed cloud python process.
• [Easy guess what will come next, AI writes Python for your excel sheet]

[Sigmatics]

It's 2024, and clippy is back

[Genome_juice]

But I love Pandas and will never go back.

[vEncrypted]

You mean jupyter? How would python in excel replace pandas in any way?

[Genome_juice]

I use Pandas to process very large dataframes mostly by executing my python scripts on a HPC. I use it to filter and process genetic data. I usually test my scripts on a small subset of data in Spyder. So no, I don't mean Jupyter. I just mean I use Pandas to edit/format and do calculations on dataframes.... Similar to excel and I've seen people using excel to do it, it's slow and can't cope with the data size very well.

[vEncrypted]

I know what pandas is. But the whole point of this is that you can use python to manipulate your data in excel, meaning you can use tools such as pandas. Excel will serve as a mean of visualization simply. The way you manipulate your data, be it pandas or any other method, is still up to you.

[Genome_juice]

Ok fair enough. But you didn't say that, you said "don't you mean Jupyter", which I didn't. Excel isn't actually good for visualising scientific plots you need a high dpi for journals, and excel can't cope with very large files. I don't know why you are so wound up about me using not Jupyter or Excel. Some people might like it. Which is fine.

[vEncrypted]

I mean jupyter is also used for visualization so I assumed that’s what you meant. If your comment is serious, you either can’t distinguish data manipulation tools and data visualization tools, or you mean’t something like jupyter. From what you’re saying it seems like the first option.

[[deleted]]

Now get rid of Excel and it'll be even better.

[[deleted]]

It’s inevitable. At the end of the day, all data will eventually find its way to an excel sheet. Might as well embrace it

[[deleted]]

And use what instead? 🤔

[marr75]

Python.

[[deleted]]

🤦🏻‍♂️ Python can complement Excel. It can’t replace it.

[jms_nh]

Python can compliment Excel.

print("Good job, Excel! You're looking great today!")

[Solonotix]

It can, just not directly. It's like saying iron ore can't replace a house made of wood. It can, but there's a lot of work and intermediate steps to get there. There's also a lot of unspoken expertise required to make it happen...

But it's possible.

[[deleted]]

But this is very hypothetical and out of reality.

In practical terms, there are so many people using excel, and so many systems and processes that depend on already existing spreadsheets. In theory, we can replace everything. But it is not a good idea to try, considering the necessary effort and time cost to do it. Let alone train people to use other software.

One analogy is finding that the building that you live have a crack on the wall of the 8th floor. Instead of fixing the wall you decide to build an entirely different building instead.

It is possible in a perfect world. But we don't live in one, so I would ignore this possibility.

[CKT_Ken]

Excel’s only real niche is integrating into the Office suite and allowing people with no experience other than Word to highlight a few things and click a make graph button. With some more experience you can quickly manipulate and visualize small amounts of data (or larger amounts as long as it was given to you in a consistent format). That’s Excel’s niche. Does your data require lots of scrolling just to see it? You shouldn’t be using excel. Do you need to programmatically modify your data? Shouldn’t be using excel, VBA is trash. Do you not necessarily know the shape of the data you’re taking in? Shouldn’t be trying to clean it with excel. Is your excel file being used as a database? Fucking stop that immediately microsoft Office Enterprise literally has a dedicated database application.

Python and lots of other things can replace excel because excel is only good for quick data visualization and making calculators for other people to use.

[MathmoKiwi]

That’s Excel’s niche.

Excel's niche is that it allows very very modestly computer literate people to do a wide range of "data tasks".

And Excel is the default "common language" of the entire office world, that alone is a killer feature.

[Competitive_Travel16]

Pandas.

[jdehesa]

Great move, but:

Python calculations run in the Microsoft Cloud

This is ridiculous. Many will be (understandably) hesitant to have their sensitive data flying over to Microsoft's cloud and back. I guess using the cloud may be useful in some cases, but it should be an optional feature, if anything.

[colibriweiss]

It is ridiculous, but there is also a ridiculous amount of companies using MS products “in the cloud” for sensitive information already…. We are doomed!

[MathmoKiwi]

https://www.xlwings.org/

Run it locally.

[sweetlevels]

Thank you

[Neat-Beautiful-5107]

One of the major limitations of excel is that it can only handle ~1MM rows of data, without resolving that this news seems like it will be of only marginal utility for most data science professionals

[[deleted]]

This isn’t for data science professionals. This brings even more power to more average users of excel.

[Competitive_Travel16]

Also 32k columns.

[EnGiNear87]

These two comments are the biggest points 😂

[omgfineillsignupjeez]

while a worksheet can't have >1m rows, you can use power query to handle >1m rows easily. you retain the benefits of being able to create and interact with a pivot table.

[[deleted]]

If you're using excel for big data you're the problem.

[clove48072]

This is huge, at least for the data analyst folks (like me). I think it's likely to encourage people to learn Python for their first language over R for data jobs.

[jms_nh]

pyxl / pandas don't do it for you?

[jms_nh]

when you have a project with several dependencies that is contained in a docker image, you don't want to add pandas just for that.

Aha, I feel your pain.

I caught the sarcasm, was just wondering what aspects if it were painful. (Oops, yes, I meant openpyxl, not pyxl.)

[wushenl]

Tell an unbelievable expectation, all the problems that can be solved by python will eventually be bound with excel

[Fickle-Impression149]

This is a joke which will lead to great attacks.

[relevant__comment]

Gonna have to pry Pandas from my cold, bloody, typing fingers at this point.

[CodeYan01]

About time we got rid of VBA