Questions tagged [database]

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6 votes
1 answer
202 views

Row locking on RM/COBOL-85

Near 21-22 years ago I worked in a COBOL-based shop. This business had one LOB application written in RM/COBOL-85, and deployed it to multiple customers with different network types (Xenix with dumb ...
  • 163
8 votes
1 answer
405 views

Looking for an 8-bit microcomputer with a hardware-accelerated database

In some old video on YouTube a few years ago, I noticed a curious computer from the end of the 70s - early 80s. In the rack (half height), typical of minicomputers of those years, there was a 14" ...
2 votes
0 answers
85 views

DEC RdbStar information?

I'm putting together an article on TPC-C, and while chasing down leads its primary author mentioned the RdbStar project at DEC. As he described it, the manager of DEC's storage department (Jim Grey? ...
16 votes
2 answers
826 views

What was special about "Vulcan" - the CP/M database program?

The Vulcan DBMS for CP/M micros was originally developed in 8080 assembly language by a contractor working for Jet Propulsion Lab, based on an earlier JPL mainframe program. This code went on to be ...
  • 59.1k
2 votes
1 answer
202 views

Where can I find the software for "DESIGN: a program to create data entry programs" by J. Michael Wuerth?

I have a copy of the book, DESIGN: a program to create data entry programs by J. Michael Wuerth. Does anyone know where I can obtain a copy of the accompanying software for the book?
6 votes
8 answers
627 views

Were there any filesystems support tag based key-value pairs before the 90s?

Attribute–value pair is quite common in programming languages, databases, URL query-strings, and Email/HTTP headers, which could also be used to organize, classify and version files. Extended file ...
  • 3,582
7 votes
1 answer
3k views

How do I find out the REAL title of a given video game?

The Wave Race game for Nintendo 64 is called "Wave Race 64 - Kawasaki Jet Ski" in a ROM set. On Wikipedia, which I've previously considered authoritative for titles of commercial products, ...
  • 87
1 vote
0 answers
126 views

Record definitions with IBM COBOL and IMS

A common technology stack for line of business applications in the sixties and seventies was IBM COBOL with the IMS database. I'm curious about how the combination handled record definitions. COBOL ...
  • 55k
5 votes
1 answer
173 views

What was the first database to start compressing in situ?

The obvious way for a database to store data is with each record in a contiguous chunk, and each field having a fixed size and offset in the record. Joel Spolsky praises that way of doing things: ...
  • 55k
3 votes
2 answers
416 views

How did databases use the 8087?

A discussion on programs that used the 8087 mentions several categories I expected, and one I did not: Database programs (dBase IV, FoxBase, Paradox, Revelation) The more I think about it, the more ...
  • 55k