Abstract: Despite their successes, computerized spreadsheet systems have unnecessary restrictions that limit their usefulness. One such restriction is the "functional" nature of the formulas used to specify calculations - for every combination of values of the "directly specified" cells, the formulas specify unique values for the "computed" cells. In this presentation, we discuss the possibility of generalizing the formula language used by spreadsheets from simple functional formulas to relational logic. In recognition of the central role of computational logic in this approach, we use the phrase "logical spreadsheets" to refer to spreadsheets of this sort. We argue that logical spreadsheets provide greater benefits than traditional spreadsheets while preserving the key features of automatic calculation of values and ease of administration.

Short Bio: Michael Genesereth is an associate professor in the Computer Science Department at Stanford University. He received his Sc.B. in Physics from M.I.T. and his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University. Prof. Genesereth is most known for his work on computational logic and applications of that work in enterprise computing and electronic commerce. Prof. Genesereth is one of the founders of Teknowledge, CommerceNet, and Mergent Systems. He is the current director of the Center for Information Technology at Stanford University.