this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2023
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[–] [email protected] 215 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (7 children)

Python calculations run in the Microsoft Cloud

some functionality will be restricted without a paid license [in addition to a Microsoft365 subscription]

saved you from premature excitement

[–] Limeey 66 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is stupid, why can't I just point it at my interpreter? Oh, right, money. smh

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Think it'd actually be better than just importing your excel files to pandas or something though? If you've set up your own interpreter that doesn't seem out of your skillset.

[–] tetelestia 9 points 1 year ago

The ability to share the work with non technical co-workers could be huge. You might be able to do everything with pandas, but Jim in sales is too busy casting staplers in jello to learn how to set up a python environment

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 year ago

Unfortunately I already read the headline, is there anywhere I can offload this now unnecessary excitement?

Python in Excel would be great, but nerfing it with some ridiculous cloud dependency is crazy. They could still paywall the feature if they really wanted while still running the Python interpretation locally.

I suppose we should be grateful they hadn’t also stuck ChatGPT on to it too so it could (badly) write the Python for you. Tech by buzzword will be the death of us I’m sure.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago

Python calculations run in the Microsoft Cloud

some functionality will be restricted without a paid license [in addition to a Microsoft365 subscription]

saved you from premature excitement

I knew when I saw the headline that this was going to be an example of MS doing something in a shitty way, not in an exciting way. Thank you for saving me a click.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago

Is basically their WEBSERVICE function but automatically because it's python and hardwired to their service.

Yeah this is hardly the announcement Microsoft thinks it is.

[–] oakey66 12 points 1 year ago

I think most companies do have a M365 subscription. If you are in a corporate environment, you will likely have access to the services. But it is dumb that you need to be internet connected and paying for a subscription service in order to integrate python visualizations. Still sucks that Microsoft like every other tech company is just about nickel and diming their customers into oblivion.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Imagine paying to use Python

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

The fuck...

[–] SpaceNoodle 100 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (5 children)

Bet it'll be their own special flavor of Python that doesn't play nice with literally any other packages or interpreters.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Haha, too true! They can never just give us a useful tool without "Microsoft-izing" it first

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Haha, too true! They can never just give us a useful tool without “Microsoft-izing” it first

Oldie but a goodie.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Just like how OfficeScript is but isn't JavaScript?

[–] tool 5 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Bet it'll be their own special flavor of Python that doesn't play nice with literally any other packages or interpreters.

It's literally just Python and it says that it supports standard packages/modules. And Guido Van Rossum works at Microsoft now, there's no way he would let them bastardize it, he would've quit before that happened.

I don't understand why people will find any reason to shit on anything while not even (seemingly) reading the article. If you did, I'm sorry, but it really doesn't seem like you did.

But yeah, fuck it, let's rip it all out and just keep the VBA integration until the heat death of the universe.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

I don’t understand why people will find any reason to shit on anything

I can't imagine why, either.

Python calculations run in the Microsoft Cloud

some functionality will be restricted without a paid license [in addition to a Microsoft365 subscription]

[–] emax_gomax 6 points 1 year ago

What makes you think Guido would have any degree of influence on microsofts decision here? He doesn't get final say on business objectives, his role is to continue contributing to python while working under the Microsoft umbrella so it brings them good pr. Him leaving would hurt that PR but this is a corporation, they don't give a sh*t so long as the green keeps rolling in. Same thing happened with John carmack and oculus/meta. Don't trick yourself into thinking these guys are hired because the company sees them as indispensable, its just a pr act.

[–] SpaceNoodle -1 points 1 year ago

James Gosling works for Amazon, what's your point? It's all PR

[–] pennomi 3 points 1 year ago

On the other hand, Microsoft currently employs Guido, so he might influence things to stay pure.

[–] spittingimage 32 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Is this going to make Excel better, or Python worse?

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago

Neither very much. Python won't change. Excel when running in the cloud will become more powerful, but the workbooks using Python will also be incompatible with desktop versions of Excel. At least that's what I'm understanding so far.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

How would it affect Python? Did Linux gets worse as a result of WSL?

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Who is the asshole that asked for this?

[–] grabyourmotherskeys 25 points 1 year ago

The accountants that were promised they would be made programmers. There's dozens of them.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

People sick of writing VBA probably.

[–] Nolegjoe 27 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] kryptonicus 18 points 1 year ago

some functionality will be restricted without a paid license

I think that's why. But maybe I'm just overly cynical.

[–] bassomitron 17 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I'm guessing because it's a super hacky implementation versus a full and complete one, in addition to them paywalling it behind their bullshit M365 subscription.

[–] PoorlyWrittenPapyrus 10 points 1 year ago

It only runs in this exact docker container

well we’re sure as shit not in the business of shipping docker containers

[–] affiliate 2 points 1 year ago

this would make a lot of sense to me. the windows/office365 code base has got to look so scary on the inside. i can’t think of any other reason why windows still has two different settings applications, with the newer one sometimes opening the older one. i also can’t imagine why teams/other office apps open popups (eg when joining meetings) that prompt you to sign in when you’re already signed in.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago

Runs on Microsoft cloud…. Sounds like it’ll be super versatile

[–] Siegfried 19 points 1 year ago

20 years later...

That could be fun

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago

Python, the new macro virus.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

But you can use it only if you set Internet Edgeplorer as your default browser.

[–] wmrch 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

There already is pyxll and xlwings which ~~likely~~ maybe does what you're looking for.

[–] PHLAK 5 points 1 year ago

This is equal parts cool and terrifying.

[–] eran_morad 4 points 1 year ago

Nah, fuck it, I’ll continue to do my shit in R.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Maybe I can finally learn excel now.

[–] Rooki 1 points 1 year ago

RIP my sanity 2 of the worst things together???????