The word macro (short for “macro instruction”) became popular in the early 1980s with users of the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet application. Macros were used to somewhat automate what was at the time the world’s best-selling software for microcomputers.
In Lotus 1-2-3, macro code was stored in a spreadsheet’s empty cells using a cryptic keystroke sequence that began with an apostrophe and a slash (’/) followed by a sequence of letters representing menu items to be executed. I will never forget the code because I expended a lot of time and effort ...
