This has nothing to do with open source. Competing companies can not suddenly use the copyrighted work, implement patented technologies, or for that matter redistribute the work.<p>I can go down to the government archive and as a citizen request to view blueprints of buildings. I may not copy the design to build my own building, nor use patented aspects, but I am allowed to <i>inspect</i> or ask a independent expert to review the design and find flaws. Unsurprisingly this has not killed the architect profession, nor forced construction companies to open source their technologies.