In addition to the usual cut/paste/sort/awk stuff, we've had really powerful "stream-operator" databases based on flat text data files for decades. They used t

In addition to the usual cut/paste/sort/awk stuff, we've had really powerful "stream-operator" databases based on flat text data files for decades. They used to be somewhat slow. Not anymore, esp when running from RAMdisks. One good one is Strozzi NoSQL (his use of the term NoSQL predates the current use of the term by many years...): http://www.strozzi.it/cgi-bin/CSA/tw7/I/en_US/NoSQL/Home%20Page http://www.strozzi.it/cgi-bin/CSA/tw7/I/en_US/NoSQL/Home%20P... Starbase is another, with interesting extensions for astronomical work. Linux Review article on the concept here: https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/3294 https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/3294 The article that started it all: http://www.linux.it/~carlos/nosql/4gl.ps http://www.linux.it/~carlos/nosql/4gl.ps And there's even a book on the subject, centered on the /rdb implementation by the late RSW software. But I warn you, reading this WILL permanently change the way you think about databases: https://www.amazon.com/Relational-Database-Management-Prentice-Hall-Software/dp/013938622X https://www.amazon.com/Relational-Database-Management-Prenti...