Comment by wruza

To add to (usual/frequent) spreadsheet software as a database cons:

  - No formula/value separation
    - Only trees, no cycles
  - No named references 
  - No (easy) functions
  - No (easy) SQL-like
    - Views
    - Triggers
    - Default values
    - Constraints
      - Advisory at least
        - No linter
  - No birdeye for a schema
  - Shit typed
    - Even if you insist
  - No who when what

One could add to this more and more, but the biggest issue with SSAAD is that a seasoned developer can’t even help a user to maintain its sanity or find errors. Users will break every rule because a software development is full of unspoken practice but it didn’t bite them yet. And when it finally does, when a user feels an overwhelming complexity and that lack of control kills their operation, it already costs a small fortune to reveal and reimplement all nuances and edge cases into software requirements. I’ve seen a few businesses that became a function of what they can do with Excel and what Excel can do with them.