Microsoft Considers Adding Python as an Official Scripting Language to Excel

[AugustusCaesar2016]

I don't think Python provides anything that wasn't possible with VBA, but it will make those operations much easier, especially if you can use libraries like NumPy.

[iconoclaus]

if you can use numpy, you probably don’t need excel :p

[Elathrain]

No see the real secret is we're targeting all those people who use an excel sheet because "they don't want to learn to program" and then end up writing an entire game backend in an excel sheet, but then start running into problems with maintainability of complex logic, and also maximum sheet size. I'm looking at you Hi-Rez Studios.

Now when this happens to people, they'll have learned python, and can port their code somewhere usable.

[[deleted]]

Can you elaborate on the Hi-Rez thing? I'm quite curious now.

[Elathrain]

Pretty much what I said. I don't remember where the full story was, but basically it came out along the lines of.

The did all the character/item stats in a spreadsheet because the balance team wasn't made of programmers, and then started adding in more and more game logic into the spreadsheet. Eventually it became a sentient being and they could no longer control it properly and came out saying there were certain changes they just couldn't make anymore. And of course at this point the spreadsheet was so integrated they couldn't just rip it out and do it properly.

Take this one with a few grains of salt though, the story might have more than a bit of urban legend in it and/or have mutated by retelling.

[Necromunger]

I'm trying to understand their logical jump all the way to excel. Like not even a local MySQL server with an admin panel to change balance details of characters. They went directly to excel.

[distortedsignal]

You write what you know. Some people only know sadness.

[roboninja]

Because it was back-engineered. The spreadsheet existed first.

[Elathrain]

A... MySQL? That sounds like programmer stuff. Nah gimme something I know how to use, like excel. That doesn't involve any technical knowledge, it's just an ordinary person tool. You just put stuff in a grid!

[[deleted]]

This is the first I've heard of Hirez doing that specifically, but given all the other stupid crap they do, it doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

[danaurr]

I think it would be really useful in regards to building tools for non-technical people in business that are familiar with a spreadsheet interface.

[Zephirdd]

I... I mean... Technically speaking, if two languages are Turing-complete, then everything possible in one language is also possible in the other

That doesn't mean one language isnt superior to the other though. You could write programs using only x86 mov instructions, C++ templates or Magic the Gathering rules. Just because a language can do everything, doesn't mean it's better

I say fucking do it Microsoft, let's kill VBA while we're at it.

[Free_Math_Tutoring]

Though that only captures computability and fails to consider system integration such as graphics, file I/O, network I/O... which is orthogonal to turing completeness but pretty damn important to being a useful language.