Editing VisiCalc (section)

== Reception ==
In 1983, ''[[Softline (magazine)|Softline]]'' readers named VisiCalc tenth overall and the highest non-game on the magazine's Top Thirty list of Atari 8-bit programs by popularity.<ref name="softline198303">{{cite news | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1983&pub=6&id=10 | title=The Most Popular Atari Program Ever | work=Softline | date=March 1983 | access-date=July 28, 2014 | pages=44 | archive-date=July 29, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729044509/http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1983&pub=6&id=10 | url-status=live }}</ref> ''II Computing'' listed it second on the magazine's list of top Apple II software as of late 1985, based on sales and market-share data.<ref name="ciraolo198510_11">{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/II_Computing_Vol_1_No_1_Oct_Nov_85_Premiere#page/n51/mode/2up | title=Top Software / A List of Favorites | work=II Computing | date=Oct–Nov 1985 | access-date=January 28, 2015 | author=Ciraolo, Michael | pages=51}}</ref>

In its 1980 review, ''[[BYTE]]'' wrote "The most exciting and influential piece of software that has been written for any microcomputer application is VisiCalc [...] VisiCalc is the first program available on a microcomputer that has been responsible for sales of entire systems".<ref name="ramsdell198011">{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1980-11/1980_11_BYTE_05-11_High-Resolution_Graphics#page/n247/mode/2up | title=The Power of VisiCalc | work=BYTE | date=November 1980 | access-date=October 18, 2013 | author=Ramsdell, Robert E | pages=190–192}}</ref> ''[[Creative Computing]]''{{'}}s review that year similarly concluded, "for almost anyone in business, education, or any science-related field it is [...] reason enough to purchase a small computer system in the first place".<ref name="green198008">{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/creativecomputing-1980-08/Creative_Computing_v06_n08_1980_Aug#page/n29/mode/2up | title=VisiCalc: Reason Enough For Owning A Computer | work=Creative Computing | date=August 1980 | access-date=October 18, 2013 | last=Green | first=Doug | pages=26}}</ref> ''[[Compute!]]'' reported, "Every Visicalc user knows of someone who purchased an Apple just to be able to use Visicalc".<ref name="budge19800708">{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/1980-07-compute-magazine/Compute_Issue_005_1980_Jul_Aug#page/n19/mode/2up | title=VISICALC: A Software Review | work=Compute! | date=July–August 1980 | access-date=October 25, 2013 | author=Budge, Joseph H. | pages=19}}</ref> ''[[Antic (magazine)|Antic]]'' wrote in 1984, "VisiCalc isn't as easy to use as prepackaged home accounting programs, because you're required to design both the layout and the formulas used by the program. Because it is not pre-packaged, however, it's infinitely more powerful and flexible than such programs. You can use VisiCalc to balance your checkbook, keep track of credit card purchases, calculate your net worth, do your taxes—the possibilities are practically limitless."<ref name="8-Bit Product Reviews: VISICALC">{{cite journal
|first=Joseph
|last=Kattan
|title=Product Reviews: VisiCalc
|url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/v3n2/productreviews.html
|journal=[[Antic (magazine)|Antic]]
|volume=3
|number=2
|page=80
|date=June 1984
|access-date=April 15, 2011
|archive-date=March 16, 2011
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110316083231/http://www.atarimagazines.com/v3n2/productreviews.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref> ''The [[Addison-Wesley]] Book of Atari Software 1984'' gave the application an overall A+ rating, praising its documentation and calling it "indispensable ... a straight 'A' classic".<ref name="aw1984">{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/stream/Atari_Software_1984#page/n213/mode/2up | title=The Addison-Wesley Book of Atari Software | publisher=Addison-Wesley | year=1984 | pages=214 | isbn=0-201-16454-X | editor-last=Stanton | editor-first=Jeffrey | editor-last2=Wells |editor-first2=Robert P. Ph.D. |editor-last3=Rochowansky |editor-first3=Sandra |editor-last4=Mellid |editor-first4=Michael Ph.D. }}</ref> In 2006, Charles Babcock of ''[[InformationWeek]]'' wrote that, in retrospect, "VisiCalc was flawed and clunky, and couldn't do many things users wanted it to do", but also, "It's great because it demonstrated the power of personal computing".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.informationweek.com/whats-the-greatest-software-ever-written/d/d-id/1046033 |title=What's The Greatest Software Ever Written? |date=November 8, 2006 |first=Charles |last=Babcock |work=[[InformationWeek]] |publisher=[[UBM plc|UBM]] |access-date=February 19, 2014 |archive-date=June 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625181757/http://www.informationweek.com/whats-the-greatest-software-ever-written/d/d-id/1046033 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1999, HBS put up a plaque commemorating Dan Bricklin in the room where he had studied: "Forever changed how people use computers in business".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bricklin.com/recognition.htm|title=Public recognition of Dan Bricklin's work|website=www.bricklin.com|access-date=March 19, 2018|archive-date=March 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320110154/http://www.bricklin.com/recognition.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Since 2010, the anniversary of the October 17, 1979, launch of VisiCalc has been celebrated as Spreadsheet Day.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dalgleish |first=Debra |title=About Spreadsheet Day |url=https://spreadsheet-day.com/blog/about/ |access-date=October 19, 2022 |website=Spreadsheet Day |archive-date=October 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016160108/https://spreadsheet-day.com/blog/about/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Pullen |first=John Patrick |date=October 16, 2015 |title=5 Excel Secrets That Will Make Your Boss Think You're a Pro |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |url=https://time.com/4076612/excel-tips-hacks-tricks/ |access-date=October 19, 2022 |archive-date=January 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118045527/https://time.com/4076612/excel-tips-hacks-tricks/ |url-status=live }}</ref>