[Discuss] Frustration with SQL and Spreadsheets

[jack at coats.org (Jack Coats)]

I have worked with spreadsheet and equipment since mid'70s.  Most are
similar to SQL databases.  One sheet system I liked was Foresight.  Or had
formulas you could specify for given rows only or for given columns, as
well as row first or columns first.

SQL is better for large data, needed to be accessible by multiple people,
systems, programs.

I actually cut my database teeth on heirarchical databases like IBM IDBMS,
and those can emulate SQL language databasees but with less data needed to
be duplicated in each row without the overhead of multiple table pointing
to each other and the inherent constantly issues.

To sum up this walk down memory lane, they all store data well, process it
pretty we6, but the trick is determining which tool is the best in each
case.  A rock, screwdriver and a hammer are all tools, but a rock is not
efficient at drevin in a screw, a hammer can too, but the screwdriver is
the best.  Similar story for nails, or holding down tarps.  Choose the
right tool for the right job.

*><>* ... Jack

If you are not paying for something, you are not a consumer, you are the
product. - Chamath Palihapitiya
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." -
Ben Franklin
*Tesla Referral code: "https://www.tesla.com/referral/jack84455"; - save
money on a Tesla*

On Wed, Apr 15, 2026, 7:22?AM <markw at mohawksoft.com> wrote:

> One of the things I have to do a lot is transfer data to and from
> spreadsheets. Its so frustrating that they are essentially the same
> concept: an X/Y grid of cells is virtually identical to rows and columns.
>
> We have had databases and spreadsheets coexisting for over 40 years why
> hasn't anyone merged these two things? A "spreadsheet" program could very
> easily be set on top of something like SQLite.
>
> Does anyone know of such a spreadsheet?
>
> Does anyone know of a universal spreadsheet/database conversion format,
> and no, CSV doesn't count. :-)
>
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