@darius It turns out, they keep beating that collation drum all the way through it! Sorting via mechanical processes is that important, and the idea of a compiler or even "software as a control flow operator" barely even registers as anything worth caring about until somebody has to explain _what a compiler is_ in like the second last chapter.
@darius And, OMG, the disastrous "null terminated string" design decision has its roots in a desire for _punch card re-usability_.