Post #3847346
2026-07-16 01:41 UTC
@north@xn--8r9a.com it comes from the time when real spreadsheets (you know, made of paper) would be branded with the manufacturer.
In the late 80s, the largest office supply manufacturers were Xerox, Ford and Dell (not the current computer manufacture, it went bankrupt in the 90s). They sort of semi-officially standardized it, but a few years later they were indicted in a lawsuit for anti-competitive behavior and forced to remove it off new sold units.
Meanwhile, VisiCalc had already shipped its software and back then floppies were expensive and a recall would bankrupt VisiCorp. Then Microsoft just copied it for Excel without knowing the real origin.
I made this entire thing up.
Replies (2)
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@north@xn--8r9a.com 2026-07-16 01:42
@sharkfie@infosec.exchange I was thinking to myself "I have no idea how I would know if this is real".
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@theorangetheme@en.osm.town 2026-07-16 01:51
@sharkfie@infosec.exchange @north@xn--8r9a.com Ya know, until "Ford", you had me!