But then they lost their ambition - a major point being when they stopped trying to develop their own computing technology and just reverse engineered IBM chips instead.
I rather say, it has to do with economic realities: there was a joke in eastern germany something like:
we got no toilet paper, but a cosmonaut, hurey.
edit:
"Keine Bretter für die Laube
Für das Auto keine Schraube
Für das Klo kein Papier
Aber Kosmonauten haben wir"
non rhyming translation:
"No wood for the hut
no screw for the car
no paper for the toilet
but a cosmonaut we got"
"A rat done bit my sister Nell. (with Whitey on the moon) Her face and arms began to swell. (and Whitey's on the moon) I can't pay no doctor bill. (but Whitey's on the moon) Ten years from now I'll be payin' still. (while Whitey's on the moon) The man jus' upped my rent las' night. ('cause Whitey's on the moon) No hot water, no toilets, no lights. (but Whitey's on the moon)
-- Gil Scott Heron