Asianometry The Weird OS Built Around a Database
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Aug 21, 2025 Discover the fascinating origins of a unique hybrid of database software and operating system from the 1960s. Explore its user-friendly design and military applications, contrasted with more mainstream technologies like SQL. Uncover the story of an independent tech pioneer whose vision led to innovative developments but ultimately struggled after his passing. The rise and fall of this pioneering system reveal compelling lessons about adaptability and the ebbs and flows of the tech world.
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How GEM Began For The Army
- TRW built GEM (later Pick's system) for the Army to let non-programmers query in English using customizable data dictionaries.
- The project lost momentum after the Cheyenne helicopter program collapsed and the Army canceled the contract in 1969.
English Queries Backed By Dictionaries
- GEM used data dictionaries to map English-like queries to schema, enabling domain experts to extend vocabulary without coding.
- Nelson and Pick implemented hardware independence by running GEM inside a virtual machine layer.
Pick Leaves TRW And Legal Battle Ensues
- Richard Pick left TRW believing the software was public domain and formed Pick and Associates, later licensing the OS to Microdata and others.
- Legal fights with Microdata ended in a 1981 settlement splitting rights between Pick and Microdata.