This has been a thing since before databases were relational. 4G languages (Progress, etc.) were especially nice for their ability to wrap a queue table around

This has been a thing since before databases were relational. 4G languages (Progress, etc.) were especially nice for their ability to wrap a queue table around a series of reversible transactions, if you coded things right .. meaning a lot of modules written for app infrastructure were based on an 'inbox table' methodology ..