The idea that they were building their own computing environment galvanized them into working at breakneck speed, like settlers hastening to erect a rudimentary shelter before the onset of a hard winter. An almost alchemical change overtook the lab, infusing it with the pure excitement of discovery that a research manager may be lucky to witness once in a lifetime. People would contend later that being forced to clone the PDP—10 was the best thing that ever happened to CSL—even Strassmann eventually bragged, “I made everyone a hero.” This is the period they were referring to, when a bunch of
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