---
title: "An ABACUS Without Beads"
type: "article"
slug: "an-abacus-without-beads"
url: "http://localhost/article/an-abacus-without-beads/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/article/an-abacus-without-beads.md"
published_at: "2026-02-09T00:55:58+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-02-09T00:55:58+00:00"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20230809-041332.jpg"
excerpt: "Mention the wood \"Spreadsheet\" to the experienced computer user and he will immediately think of a programme for displaying, analysing and manipulating numbers. Indeed the name of the QL's spreadsheet, ABACUS, indicates that it is a programme which involves calculations."
category:
  - name: "International QL Report"
    slug: "international-ql-report"
    taxonomy: "category"
    url: "http://localhost/category/periodicals/international-ql-report/"
post_tag:
  - name: "QL"
    slug: "ql"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/ql/"
  - name: "Software review"
    slug: "software-review"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/software-review/"
model:
  - name: "Sinclair QL"
    slug: "sinclair-ql"
    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/sinclair-ql/"
publication_r:
  id: 33740
  title: "International QL Report"
  type: "periodical"
  url: "http://localhost/periodical/international-ql-report/"
authors: "Geoff Wicks"
volume: "5"
issue: "2"
issues_articles:
  - id: 37223
    title: "International QL Report V5 I2"
    type: "issue"
    url: "http://localhost/issue/international-ql-report-v5-i2/"
pages: "39-40"
pubdate: "July/August 1995"
archive_link: false
---

# An ABACUS Without Beads

Mention the wood “Spreadsheet” to the experienced computer user and he will immediately think of a programme for displaying, analysing and manipulating numbers. Indeed the name of the QL’s spreadsheet, ABACUS, indicates that it is a programme which involves calculations.