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Spreadsheet fan's software collection tops 1,000 programs
Ariel Fischman first won the Guinness record in 2018 with 506 copies, and his collection now includes three Excel betas from 1985; he's still adding.
Watch it as it aired: Dale Bearman and Hank Ledger on this story, from The Midday Show at 12:00 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are UPI's, the jokes are ours.

At a glance
- First reported by UPI: “Spreadsheet fan's software collection surpasses 1,000 programs”, with reporting from Microsoft Excel Blog, Yahoo News (UPI syndication) and Guinness World Records.
- Covered on BBN on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET on The Midday Show, by Dale Bearman and Hank Ledger.
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
- UPISpreadsheet fan's software collection surpasses 1,000 programs
- Microsoft Excel BlogGuinness World Records: The Largest Collection of Spreadsheet Software facts used on air
- Yahoo News (UPI syndication)Spreadsheet fan's software collection surpasses 1,000 programs October 28, 2026 · facts used on air
- Guinness World RecordsMeet the man who has the largest collection of spreadsheets in the world January 30, 2019 · facts used on air
What BBN said about it

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorA financial advisor in Mexico City who holds the world record for the largest collection of spreadsheet software says he now owns more than one thousand programs, UPI reports.

Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorOne thousand different spreadsheets. Has anyone checked they're all adding up the same?

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorHe first set the record in twenty eighteen with five hundred and six copies. So he's doubled it.

Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorDoubled.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe collection covers DVDs, cassette tapes, magnetic tape, and eight-inch diskettes. It also has three different Excel betas from nineteen eighty-five.

Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorThree betas. And a drive for the cassettes, a drive for the diskettes, and nobody has ever dusted the tape machine.

Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorThat's the real fine print.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorHe says everyone loves spreadsheets, some people simply haven't stopped to think about it. I've stopped. I'm still here.

Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorMy theory is he's building a backup of civilization, and it's one very long column. I've saved you a place in the plans, Hank.

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorKind of you, Dale. I've made my own arrangements. Eight-inch diskette, no drive.
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Photo: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
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