It’s often useful to import Excel files directly into an ASP.NET web application in order to simplify data entry. Excel makes it easier to manipulate data, and has far better integration with other apps than most web grids. As a result, integrating a web application with Excel lets users leverage the best features of a spreadsheet software, while taking advantage of the RDBMS and business logic in the web application.
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In a scenario that several years ago was difficult to imagine, Microsoft is offering its most popular brand – the Windows operating system – free on mobile devices under 9 inches. This is primarily in response to its negligible smart phone market share and inability to compete with Apple and Android. The fascinating corollary question is – how long will it take before the iconic Windows brand will be completely free on the desktop as well?
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The OpenXML DocX format in Microsoft Word offers a new, accessible format for manipulating documents. Whereas the previous “doc” format was proprietary, the new “docx” format directly exposes XML source files, enabling developers to generate dynamic Word documents, or directly edit their content. This brings opportunity for exciting tools such as text replacement algorithms and native mail-merge. Along with the opportunities, however, come several challenges and caveats that need to be handled in development.
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