Bricklin invented the software spreadsheet. It's only a need to debase Bricklin's obvious credit, that leads to the claim that comparable spreadsheets existed prior to VisiCalc. They did not. That's precisely why it was such a marvel.

Whatever existed prior to VisiCalc, was not similar to the spreadsheet as we know it and define it today. It's a path that VisiCalc blazed, to universal credit by everyone that was in the industry at the time and helped pioneer software.