Docs: SpeedGen: Requirements

Microsoft Excel is required to create a Source Workbook. Excel is not required at run-time.

• You can use Microsoft Excel 95, 97, 2000 or XP to create the Source Workbook.
• Excel for the Macintosh has not been tested, but may work.
• Do not use other spreadsheet programs to create the Source Workbook.

For SpeedGen ASP, your Development computer must also meet the minimum Server Requirements listed below.

• Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0 or XP. (Also works under Windows 95, 98 and Me but these are not recommended if you want to have a stable server)
• Microsoft IIS 4.0 or greater
• If you want to use database (ADO) data: MDAC 2.1 or greater
• If you want to use XML: MXSML 4 or greater

ASP.NET

Excel SpeedGen will also run under ASP.NET

The following browsers are supported:

• Microsoft Internet Explorer v3 or greater (i.e. 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0) on all platforms.
• Netscape Navigator/Communicator v3 or greater (i.e. 3.0, 4.x, 6.0). Has been tested on Windows platforms. Unix / Macintosh platforms have not been tested but should work.
• Opera v3 or greater
• Other browsers should work as long as they conform to proper standards.

Deployment requirements can be found here

• Microsoft Excel is not required to download or generate the spreadsheet.
• To View and/or Edit an Excel File, one of the following is required to be installed on the client:
  • Microsoft Excel 5.0, 95, 97, 2000 or XP
  • Microsoft's free Excel Viewer. This works but is not recommended unless you have to use it. The viewer can view or print Excel files but cannot perform calculations, so all formulas are displayed as 0 values.
  • Another spreadsheet application that reads Excel 5.0 or 95 files. Such as Lotus 123, Quattro Pro, or the free StarOffice (Windows or Unix), EasyOffice or Gnome Gnumeric (Unix) applications.

If you are looking for a free Windows or Unix spreadsheet application, we recommend Sun's StarOffice. Support for Microsoft Excel files is not perfect (Pictures, Charts as Separate Worksheets and Text Boxes are ignored) but it is still pretty good (Formatting, Formulas, Frozen Panes & Embedded Charts work). Also, it's a bit slow but it is the most full-featured freeware spreadsheet available.

also, EasyOffice is pretty good but none of the free programs is as good as Excel itself.