Excel Functions - Part 1

AppName : Excel/Google Spreadsheet/Calc

AppType  : Document divided in sheet for graphical and data computing

Homepage: http://openoffice.org http://docs.google.com

Well, everyone should have worked with Excel or similar programs. That neat software that let you write on cells and prepare graphs depending on what you have write on.

But let me assure you that Excel is more than that! In today post I will only highlight 2 major functions of Excel: Conditional Formatting and Counting items that meet a criteria.

Conditional Formatting

Basically whats this is, is to able to format a cell ( change font, background color etc..) if a certain criteria is met. This is helpful when you want to highlight items so they can be seen more easier. For example, the following is a list in which I wish to see more clearly those numbers who are between the number 6 and number 12.

You have to observe very carefully to be able to detect them. I mean, it is not that easy, but Excel have some neat stuff that help you in this process. Select the first cell, go to format and select Conditional Formatting.

You will see a window similar to the one above. Choose the between item and write 6 in the first square and 12 in the second. In the format section, go to patterns, and select a color of your choice. Press OK in both window. Now, using the copy format brush, 

select the first cell, then select all other cells. You will now see with the background of the color you choose, all numbers who are between 6 and 12!!.

Counting Items

Now, lets say we want to know the total numbers who are greater than 10. Select the first cell, the click on the function icon 

look for the 'IF' method. Basically we want to ask the cell if the number is > 10, output a 1, then later we do a SUM to add all those 1s and verify the total of them. In the cell write the following: 

=IF(A1>10,1,0)

 Now, using the copy format brush, 

select the first cell, then select all other cells. All adjacents cells that values are greater than 10 will have now a 1 written. Now, in the last cell write:
=SUM(B1:B21)

And the value presented will be the one of the sum of all, hereby, the counter.

Excel has many many functions, which I will be highlighting them in more mini sections. Just wanted to write something since there has been some time that I havent blog at all.

DropBox - Web Base file hosting service

AppName : Dropbox

AppType  : Web Base file hosting service

Homepage: https://www.dropbox.com/

Portable Available: Yes

It seems that the days of those usb pen/flash/whatever you call them drivers (usb drivers) are nearly over. Well, I may be overacting, BUT, with this application, is one step ahead. Basically dropbox is a straight forward file share system what let you 

1. Store virtually any file at a centralized location.
2. Access those files ( music, photos, documents, you name it) with your desktop, laptop, ipad, iphone, Blackberry, even through the web browser.... with everything!... well I tried with a coffee machine but didn't worked for me.
3. SHARE. Its all about the sharing right? You can select which files you want to share by specifying the people.
4. Its always in SYNCH! The system do some sort of magic ( well, it's a trigger event with a http request sent by the server, but you all guys know that) which automatically keep everything in synch!
5. History. Who changed who when by what and where with it or she... Basically it gives a trace of when files where uploaded, which is neat when you need to keep trace of them.

Check out the official DropBox video from dropbox.com of how the system works.
Double click on the video below.

So imagine this scenario. You spent the night and part of the morning working on a presentation your boss asked and its going to be presented to the board of directors (yes, at some point everyone at IT will pass through this) and you finished the ppt at 3 AM. You did it, you click save and stored it in your super duper pen flash driver with neat  colors that your aunt gave you on christmas, YAY!

Nap time! You slept for 3 hours and after you get from your bed, you rush to the office. Its time for the presentation...BUT... you left the pen drive at home... OMG!

Now, imagine, you have a dropbox account. All you have to do is save the file under the dropbox folder and...that's IT! When you arrive at the office, you will log to your dropbox account and the file will be there.

I think everyone should have a dropbox account, because you will never know when you are going to need one.