# Weird Computing: Someone Tried, and Mostly Managed, to Run Linux in an Excel Spreadsheet

In the world of computing, where boundaries are pushed and limits are tested, it's not uncommon for enthusiasts to attempt to do the unthinkable. Take, for example, the "can it run Doom" phenomenon, which has become a benchmark for the creativity and determination of computer programmers. Recently, a lone developer known as "NSG650" took this spirit of innovation to new heights by creating a Linux In Excel project that forces the Linux kernel to run within a Microsoft Excel environment.

At first glance, this might seem like a laughable endeavor, but trust us when we say it's more than just a novelty. The sheer audacity of attempting to run an operating system within a spreadsheet is a testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of NSG650. Despite admitting that the Linux experience provided by the project is buggy and slow, NSG650's achievement is no less impressive.

So, how did they do it? The answer lies in the mini-rv32ima project, an open-source initiative designed to implement the RISC-V instruction set in an emulated environment. This emulator provides a partial RISC-V implementation, comprising about 400 lines of code that can be easily integrated into Excel as a single DLL program.

The next step was to create a VBA macro that loads the mini-rv32ima environment into Excel, captures its output, and writes it into the spreadsheet's cells. This might seem like a straightforward task, but we're dealing with an emulator here, and NSG650 didn't bother rewriting the code in VBA or using Excel formulas – a feat that, although theoretically achievable, would require a tremendous amount of time and resources.

And then there's the result: a Linux shell experience that's, well, a bit rough around the edges. But hey, it's still Linux – albeit in an unconventional setting. NSG650 has already made waves with other innovative projects, such as the BugCheck2Linux utility, which runs Linux after Windows crashes to a BSOD.

Another developer, Enderman, took up the torch by adding proper input support and recording a YouTube video that explains how he ran Linux in Excel while struggling with VBA's syntax. It's this kind of collaboration and creativity that will keep pushing the boundaries of what we thought was possible with software platforms like Microsoft Excel.

So, the next time you find yourself staring at an Excel spreadsheet wondering if there's more to it than meets the eye, remember NSG650's Linux In Excel project. Who knows? Maybe one day someone will try to run a 16-bit CPU in an Excel spreadsheet. Stranger things have happened, after all.

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# Further Reading

* [Linux In Excel: A Look at the Mini-Rv32ima Project](link) * [BugCheck2Linux: Running Linux After Windows Crashes to BSOD](link) * [ReactOS: An Open-Source Operating System for Legacy Systems](link)

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# About the Author

[Your Name] is a journalist with a passion for exploring the frontiers of computing and technology. When not writing about the latest innovations, they can be found tinkering with their own projects or dreaming up new ways to push the limits of what's possible with software.

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# Related Topics

* Weird Computing * Linux * Microsoft Excel * RISC-V Instruction Set * Emulators * VBA Macros