Final answer:
Microsoft Excel became the industry standard for spreadsheets after overtaking Lotus 1-2-3 as part of a broader trend of Microsoft's dominance in the software market, including challenges regarding Internet Explorer. Excel's widespread use across various professions emphasizes the importance of learning this powerful tool.
Step-by-step explanation:
Microsoft Excel became the industry standard for spreadsheet programs after surpassing Lotus 1-2-3. This shift occurred as part of a more extensive trend where companies like Microsoft developed software that gained substantial market share within their respective fields. For example, during the mid-1990s until 2004, Microsoft faced legal challenges for its practice of including Internet Explorer as the default web browser within its Windows operating system, which held a dominant market share. Similar to how Internet Explorer became ubiquitous due to its inclusion in Windows, Microsoft Excel replaced Lotus 1-2-3 as the leading spreadsheet tool because Microsoft's Office Suite was widely used on the same Windows platform that ran on more than 90% of personal computers.
As a consequence of this widespread adoption, learning to use Excel has become important for a variety of professions, including geoscientists, who utilize such programs for numerical data analysis. Many tutorials can be found online, such as those provided by Excel Easy, to help users learn how to effectively use Excel. Its numerous functions make it a powerful tool in diverse fields, and the skills acquired from learning Excel can often be transferred to other similar software packages, making it a valuable proficiency in the modern workplace.