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Japan tried to build an operating system for the entire world, then the US government intervened
(www.xda-developers.com)
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Eastern Europe sold its stuff away mainly because of local corruption. Local factories would get sold as scrap by one wise guy and a couple of his friends in the budding government fresh after a revolution because they could make a quick buck and set themselves up for more similar opportunities. Also "scrap" claim would take a long time to be investigated and never amount to anything.