[Year 12 IT Apps] Bad, Excel. Bad!

Mon Oct 15 19:15:10 EST 2007

I've always done one thing when Office is installed. I uninstall it and 
install Open Office. I don't need Redmond telling me what I can and 
can't do with my computer.
Cheers
Cameron

Meadows, Roslyn M wrote:
> Mark - Are you saying I have an advanced degree in nerdiness???
>
> If so - THANK YOU :)
>
> I have always done two things when Office is first installed on a new
> computer/reformatted computer 
> (1) turned off the damn automatic canvas thing in Word
> (2) turned off error checking in Excel 
>
> Both can be turned off from Tools/Options etc
>
> I am quite nerdy enough to make my own decisions as to where I draw my
> drawing or whether my formula contains errors or not!!!!!
>
> Cheers
> Ros
>
> 	 Roslyn Meadows
> Bentleigh Secondary College
> 9579 1044
> 0412 614 062	
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au
> [mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Mark Kelly
> Sent: Monday, 15 October 2007 5:38 PM
> To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] Bad, Excel. Bad!
>
> And the scary thing was, this is not a theoretical fiddle with Excel.  I
>
> was using a spreadsheet to add up marks for each page of kids' ITA 
> exams, with the 2 totals for section A and B.
>
> If I hadn't done my habitual mental desk-check, I would have accepted 
> the wonky totals for section A and ended up with disastrous results.
>
> The really scary thing is, this behaviour is the DEFAULT Excel 
> behaviour! You have to have an advanced degree in nerdiness to turn it 
> off.
>
> If Microsoft ever gets the contract to code a jet's autopilot code, 
> remind me never to fly again!
>
> Regards
> Mark
>
> Geoff Moss wrote:
>   
>> Thanks Mark (and Alex)
>>
>> You learn something new every day!
>>
>> The original worksheet had the formula as:   =SUM(A1:A10)
>> That's why we all (or most of us) jumped at it and thought you must
>>     
> have 
>   
>> been having one of those days.
>>
>> Must admit, I hadn't come across the problem before.
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> Geoff Moss
>> RMIT
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Kelly"
>>     
> <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au>
>   
>> To: "Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List" 
>> <itapps at edulists.com.au>
>> Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 4:33 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] Bad, Excel. Bad!
>>
>>
>>     
>>> Sorry for the confusion all.  The formula was originally sum(a1:a5) -
>>>       
>
>   
>>> as it should have been - but I forgot to undo Excel's botched 
>>> "correction" before saving and posting it.
>>>
>>> It started as sum(a1:a5)!
>>>
>>> The problem is as Alex notes - after filling in A1:A5, Excel starts 
>>> changing the formula!  That's why it _ended up_ as SUM(A1:A10) - and 
>>> that's where you entered the story :-)
>>>
>>> Cheers
>>> Mark
>>>
>>> Geoff Moss wrote:
>>>       
>>>> Hi Mark
>>>>
>>>> The formula in A11 is:  =SUM(A1:A10)
>>>> Hence you are doubling the numbers A6:A10 by including them in the 
>>>> sub-total for Total B
>>>>
>>>> Just a bad formula!
>>>> Cheers
>>>>
>>>> Geoff Moss
>>>> RMIT
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Kelly" 
>>>> <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au>
>>>> To: "Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List" 
>>>> <itapps at edulists.com.au>
>>>> Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 2:50 PM
>>>> Subject: [Year 12 IT Apps] Bad, Excel. Bad!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> A curious problem with Excel.  Please play with the attached file.
>>>>>
>>>>> It seems Excel thinks it knows better than I do about what formulas
>>>>> should be, and I can't work how how to stop it.  Something to do
>>>>>           
> with
>   
>>>>> its 'advanced formula error' fixing, I guess.  Very annoying!
>>>>>
>>>>> To try it out, just put "1" into each of the shaded cells and watch
>>>>>           
>
>   
>>>>> what
>>>>> happens to the formula for the total of section A!
>>>>>
>>>>> Any ideas for fixes?
>>>>>
>>>>> TIA
>>>>> Mark
>>>>>
>>>>> -- 
>>>>> Mark Kelly
>>>>> Manager - Information Systems
>>>>> McKinnon Secondary College
>>>>> McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
>>>>> Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085
>>>>> School Phone +613 8520 9000
>>>>> School Fax +613 95789253
>>>>> kel AT mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
>>>>>
>>>>> Webmaster - http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
>>>>> IT Lecture notes: http://vceit.com
>>>>> Moderator: IT Applications Mailing List
>>>>>
>>>>> You'll know when we are officially a civilised race: our schools
>>>>>           
> have
>   
>>>>> all the money they need and the Air Force has to run a chook raffle
>>>>>           
> to
>   
>>>>> buy a new bomber.
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
>>>>> IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
>>>>>
>>>>>           
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.auvce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html 
>   
>>>>> - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
>>>>> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology 
>>>>> Teachers Association Inc
>>>>>           
>>>>
>>>>         
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -------- 
>   
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>>>> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>>>> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.10/1070 - Release Date: 
>>>> 14/10/2007 9:22 AM
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
>>>> IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
>>>>
>>>>         
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.auvce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html 
>   
>>>> - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
>>>> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology 
>>>> Teachers Association Inc
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> -- 
>>> Mark Kelly
>>> Manager - Information Systems
>>> McKinnon Secondary College
>>> McKinnon Rd, McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
>>> Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085
>>> School Phone +613 8520 9000, Fax +613 95789253
>>> kel AT mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
>>>
>>> Webmaster - http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
>>> IT Lecture notes: http://vceit.com
>>> Moderator: IT Applications Mailing List
>>>
>>> 1. Education is an admirable thing, but remember that nothing that is
>>>       
>
>   
>>> worth knowing can be taught - Oscar Wilde
>>> 2. I make trouble.  You want some?
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
>>> IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
>>> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.auvce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html
>>>       
>
>   
>>> - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
>>> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology 
>>> Teachers Association Inc
>>>
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>>> Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 
>>> 269.14.10/1070 - Release Date: 14/10/2007 9:22 AM
>>>
>>>
>>>       
>> _______________________________________________
>> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
>> IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
>> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.auvce/studies/infotech/itapplications3-4.html
>>     
> - 
>   
>> Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
>> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology 
>> Teachers Association Inc
>>
>>
>>     
>
>   