[PLUG-TALK] [Moved to plug-talk]: Spreadsheets vs. Databases; was:Why Laptop Cannot Find Wireless Networks

Rich Shepard rshepard at appl-ecosys.com
Fri Aug 5 01:09:30 UTC 2011


On Thu, 4 Aug 2011, Dave Johnson wrote:

> I second that notion. I am working for a financial company and they use
> spreadsheets for everything, including some database stuff. It irritates
> the crap out of me actually. Thank you for noting that.

Dave,

   What's worse is when there are no standards in place for data entry.
Sometimes the rows represent dates and measured values for parameters as
column headings, sometimes it's the other way. Spreadsheets do not enforce
column domains so there's text in numeric fields and inconsistent comments
for why samples were not collected on a given date at a particular location.

   I believe the problem is that spreadsheets are universally available;
after all, VisiCalc was the first business application available on a
microcomputer and Lotus 1-2-3 became the first 'killer app'. _Everyone_ was
taught how to use (and mis-use) a spreadsheet from kindergarden on.
Databases, on the other hand, need to be programmed and run on dbms's that
need experienced DBAs to install, maintain, upgrade, and fix when someone
breaks them. The techniques for designing databases, including table
normalization and learning that SQL is a declarative language based on sets,
not a procedural language is not taught when people learn to use computers
for business. Community colleges teach the use of word processors,
spreadsheets, and (the most grossly mis-used business application)
PowerPoint, but not databases and dbms's.

   Because managers and executives do not appreciate the differences between
spreadsheets and databases they don't know to hire consultants to design and
install the appropriate application for their business needs. This is true
of even large businesses. For example, I know that one of the largest mining
companies in the world keep all their environmental data in separate
spreadsheets. Each on a single manager's computer, and none compatible with
the others. This company (after a recent restructuring) has 7 low-level
environmental managers for different aspects (exploration, permitting,
compliance, reclamation, etc.) and the only way they can get information on
another area is by asking and waiting for that person to respond to their
request. But, because of corporate politics they are not open to an
integrated, multi-user database system that lets everyone see all the
information they need to see and prevents the errors and missed collection
and reporting dates that frustrate the regulators. Such is life in large
corporations. Unfortunately, smaller ones suffer the same tunnel vision.

Rich



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