ABSTRACT
Data base managers have one of the longest software histories. They began as simple list makers. First, they simulated the card file, with the added convenience that there was no need to keep it in alphabetic order to find any item in it easily. The computer did not need this human mental crutch to locate things quickly. Furthermore, if someone did want the entire list in alphabetic order, the data base manager would quickly sort all the entries and print them out. Searching and sorting are still the main functions data base managers perform.
