Developments in Spreadsheets Sinan Kantar By Sinan Kantar

New Development 1 A company named Juice Software has developed software allowing users automatically update their spreadsheet documents by linking their cells to the sources of the data.

Juice Software  Juice Software, based in New York, has developed a set of programs that allow users to turn their spreadsheet into living documents. With a few mouse clicks they can link a spreadsheet cell to a data source, for instance a corporate database. Smart software on a server in the network ensures that this cell is automatically updated whenever the information changes. Users can also connect their spreadsheets among themselves, so if one member of a project team changes a cell, the changes automatically appear in all the team members' files.

New Development 2. OurProject.com is offering an integrated software package in which every required tool of a project is built in.

OurProject.com  The web-based service integrates all the tools needed to manage a project, such as a marketing campaign or the design for a new product. Project leaders can easily assign tasks, keep track of the budget or view detailed timesheets. A sophisticated graphical reporting interface helps keep a project on time and within budget.

New Development 3 QuickBase.com is offering a spreadsheet software package through which users can quickly build online databases that can be shared by others.

QuickBase.com QuickBaseQuickBase, a service operated by Intuit, a Silicon Valley software firm best known for its personal-finance program Quicken, offers something rather different: it allows users rapidly to build online databases that can be shared with others.They may be something as simple as an address book, a collective to-do list or information about job applicants. This service could ultimately replace many spreadsheet files which currently clog up corporate networks.

A Conclusion This shows that even under the monopolistic circumstances, some small size mavericks can force the monopoly – namely, MS Excel – to be more innovative. Moreover, these innovations give us a hope that one-day even under the dominating clutch of the monopoly, we will see better products.