I suppose that after:

• Gene name errors and Excel: lessons not learned (https://nsaunders.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/gene-name-errors-and-excel-lessons-not-learned/) (2012)

• Data corruption using Excel: 12+ years and counting (https://nsaunders.wordpress.com/2016/08/25/data-corruption-using-excel-12-years-and-counting/) (2016)

• When your tools are broken, just change the data (https://nsaunders.wordpress.com/2019/10/10/when-your-tools-are-broken-just-change-the-data/) (2019-20)

• and Gene names, data corruption and Excel: a 2021 update (https://nsaunders.wordpress.com/2021/08/03/gene-names-data-corruption-and-excel-a-2021-update/) (2021)

it would be remiss of me not to mention: Microsoft fixes the Excel feature that was wrecking scientific data (https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/21/23926585/microsoft-excel-misreading-dates-human-genes-conversion-fixed).

Is it really fixed though? Users have to know that the feature exists, find it and toggle a checkbox. Given that the users most “at risk” probably open CSV files in Excel by default simply by clicking on them…I’m not optimistic.

Still, as Mark said:

19 years late, but better than never — Mark Ziemann (@mdziemann) October 24, 2023 (https://twitter.com/mdziemann/status/1716769844434280804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)