Lotus, SuperCalc & a Not So Portable Computer: My Spreadsheet Origins

My first interaction with spreadsheets was way back in the eighties. It was during one of my first jobs when I was working in the office of a jewelry manufacturer, reporting to the CFO. 

My computer wasn't a laptop but a Compaq Portable 3, weighing in at over 9kg, or 20lbs to us back then. It was a beast and there was nothing portable about it. The keyboard was on a coiled cable, and the screen slid into view from the main case. When in transport mode, the screen slid down, and the keyboard clipped neatly to the case. Even then it was the size of a small car. This is a machine so old that there is now one in the Science Museum Group collection. 

On that machine I had Lotus 1-2-3 and later on SuperCalc 3. Powerhouses in the world of spreadsheets back then. I used to calculate gold prices and create forecasting models so simple that an abacus probably would have given more insights.  

Since then, I’ve been no more than an enthusiastic amateur in my use of spreadsheets, proud of my ability to drag an =SUM() formula down the page with ease. 

Since joining Positive8 I’ve seen how, in the right hands, a spreadsheet can be a very powerful tool for businesses. Our team's ability to turn a static set of data into a dynamic tool with real time data that provides insights that help drive action never ceases to impress me. 

I’m seeing more and more that despite the plethora of new tools built specifically for finance data management, finance teams always like to fall back to the tool the know and love, the humble spreadsheet. 

Is it so humble though? From the beginning, the evolution of the spreadsheet is a story of continuous innovation. It started a long time ago, back in 1979 in fact. To put that into context, here are some events that also took place in the same year. 

• Margaret Thatcher became the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. 

• The Sony Walkman was launched, changing how people listened to music on the go. 

• The movie Apocalypse Now was released to critical acclaim. 

• Pink Floyd’s album The Wall was released, becoming a cultural landmark. 
• The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, marking the start of a long and costly conflict. 

The journey of the spreadsheet starts with VisiCalc and ends with Excel and includes some honorary mentions along the way. 

1979: VisiCalc 

 The first widely adopted electronic spreadsheet, VisiCalc was short for "visible calculator" and replaced manual ledger sheets. It allowed users to perform automatic calculations across rows and columns and made financial modelling faster and more flexible, helping businesses save time and reduce errors. VisiCalc became obsolete by the mid-1980s as Lotus 1-2-3 took over the market. 

1983: Lotus 1-2-3 

My introduction to spreadsheets built on VisiCalc’s foundation, Lotus 1-2-3, distinguished itself by integrating charting, database management, and macro capabilities, which VisiCalc lacked and none of which I used back then. It offered faster performance on IBM PCs, greater flexibility, and a more comprehensive set of features for business analysis. As a result, it became a key business tool, dominating the market through the 1980s with its speed and versatility on early PCs. My CFO once sent me to a launch event for Lotus 1-2-3 at IBM in Reading, I thought he wanted to help progress my career, but it turned out he didn’t want to go as he’d be late for a squash match. 

Lotus 1-2-3 gradually became obsolete in the late 1990s as Excel rose to dominance. 

1983: SuperCalc 3 

SuperCalc 3 stood out for its ability to handle large datasets and its compatibility across platforms, including CP/M and MS-DOS. It offered features such as iterative calculations and goal-seeking, which were advanced for its time. 

SuperCalc became obsolete in the early 1990s as competitors gained market share. 

1988: Quattro Pro 

I never experienced Quattro Pro but it introduced tabbed multi-sheet workbooks and enhanced charting tools, and set new standards in data organisation and visualisation. It also pioneered some usability features that we take for granted like right-click menus and in-cell editing. 

While Quattro Pro still exists in niche use, it became largely obsolete by the early 2000s. 

1985 (and widely adopted in the 1990s): Microsoft Excel 

Excel combined ease of use with powerful functions, macros, and eventually integration into the Microsoft Office suite. Over time, it introduced pivot tables, advanced charting, and robust formula auditing tools. Through Office 365, Excel evolved into a collaborative, cloud-based tool with connections to live data sources and remains the industry standard we all use today. 

Features That Shaped the Spreadsheet’s Impact 

• Automation of calculations — Eliminated the need for manual recalculations when data changed. 

• Graphing and charting tools — Enabled clearer data presentation and communication of insights. 

• Database and list management — Allowed users to sort, filter, and manage large datasets efficiently. 

• Multi-sheet workbooks — Supported complex models spanning multiple linked sheets. 

• Macros and scripting — Empowered users to automate repetitive tasks and create custom tools. 

• Cloud collaboration — Modern spreadsheets now offer real-time editing, version control, and integration with external systems. 

Today, spreadsheets remain key to financial operations, but they have transformed into dynamic, connected platforms. Our team here at Positive8 works with organisations to help them move beyond manual processes by leveraging spreadsheets alongside modern automation, analytics, and data integration technologies. 

Spreadsheets have come a long way since I first used them, and I can’t wait to see what the future looks like and whether they will still be the backbone of finance tools in another 40 years!