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On Saturday 17 July 2004 22:32, Andrew Shelley wrote:
I wonder how Gnumeric handles that data?Pretty well it seems. To fill an idle moment, I tried their sample data (SEPT2) in gnumeric, with every cell format option, and none of them changed the data.
To the editor The Register. (or maybe to BioMedSci??) Sir, You reported (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/16/excel_vanishing_dna/) that DNA data had been damaged by the helpful automatic formatting features of the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet application. We experimented with loading a sample of the data into the GNU Foundation Free (libre) Software spreadsheet application Gnumeric with various cell formatting options. In no case was any corruption of the DNA data observed. The argument over the model of development of software for scientific use - whether like Gnumeric it should be produced in an open source peer reviewed way, or like Excel it should be secret and proprietary, the correctness of its algorithms garanteed by the reputation of the company selling it will not be resolved today. In this one instance however, we submit that the Free (libre) software approach has provided a better tool. Signed Members of the Devon and Cornwall Linux user Group. Wadda you think? -- Adrian Midgley Open Source software is better GP, Exeter http://www.defoam.net/ -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG Mail majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe list" in the message body to unsubscribe.