3rd January 2001
Right now, my Microsoft Office 2000 installation CDs are elsewhere on this planet, I don't have an Internet connection, and I need to create a spreadsheet. Well, as long as Notepad is present, I'll be good to go. What!? Yeah, you can enter basic alphanumerical data in a plain text program. As long as you separate each field by a comma, your favorite spreadsheet application should be able to import it. Tabs may also be used as delimiters, but I've always found commas to be easier to keep straight (visually). First, you need to understand the difference between columns and rows in a spreadsheet document. Rows are horizontal, much like bleachers at the women's basketball games which interrupt the Chris Pirillo Show. Columns are vertical, much like those used in ancient architecture. If you can't remember that, you're a Doric. Consider each line in a comma separated text file your row, and each comma within that line as the start of a new column. Need ten columns? You'll use nine commas with flanking data. Need to insert an empty column? Put nothing between the two commas. Isn't that Ionic? Dontcha think?