Relax...
Ok, so you don't like Excel. You've made that perfectly clear. Like most IT tools, languages, there are quirks, nuances, whatever you like to call them. Excel serves a purpose. I hate to use the phrase 'in skilled hands', but that's the important thing. If you know what you're doing, Excel is a very helpful tool. It's not a corporate RDBMS replacement, but, unfortunately, that seems to get overlooked by those who want quick and dirty, and cheap, solutions to their problems. And that's why it's out there, and will stay out there.