Numbers works in a fashion somewhat different from traditional spreadsheets like Microsoft Excel or Lotus 1-2-3. In the traditional model, the table is the first-class citizen of the system, acting as both the primary interface for work, and as the container for other types of media like charts or digital images. In effect, the spreadsheet and the table are one and the same. In contrast, Numbers uses a separate "canvas" as its basic container object, and tables are among the many objects that can be placed within the canvas.