Final answer:
Each file eventually utilized its own database for data management. The concept relates closely to operating system evolution, where proprietary versions were tightly controlled by their respective companies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Eventually, each file used its own database to store, retrieve, and modify data. This development in computing history is part of the broader narrative that also includes the evolution of operating systems. Early on, operating systems in computers such as mainframes and personal computers were closely guarded by their manufacturers, which included corporations like IBM, DEC, and Hewlett Packard. Moreover, firms like Microsoft controlled the software market with products like DOS and Windows. However, the original operating system, UNIX, which was developed by researchers from AT&T Bell Labs and the University of California, Berkeley, started out being more open before becoming commercialized. Over time, proprietary versions, such as IBM's AIX, Microsoft's Xenix, Sun Microsystems' Solaris, and SGI's IRIX emerged, each running exclusively on their hardware and often at high costs.