Plain text database

A Flat File Database is a database that does not conform to the record structure database, the hierarchical database or the relational model. The term refers to the file's data, and to the files's structure of that data, known as a description. The software used to create a flat file is initially called ALGOL (short for ALGOrithmic Language), COBOL, its name is an acronym for COmmon Business-Oriented Language. Sometimes software is mistakenly called the database, for instance the Query language SQL for a SQL database. Flat Files are nowadays archaic and for the most part not existing in their original form anymore. When they were introduced however they were modern. Flat files or string files were at that time the only possible way to store information on a magnetig medium because Random Access of data was impossible and the main storage medium were reel tapes. Files were a consecutive order strings containing information. Different files were placed one after another on these reel tapes. Scientific research into computer science, databases and the technology were by and large the products of spin-offs from other scientific areas. Big Blue wasn't that Big at that time but became the moloch we now know in these days.