Nobody can take them, change them and close them and sell you a better version of them. So, I have no idea how you made the connection to MIT here.

In the same way nobody can take your MIT program and close it.

Create a better version? Sure. Make the better version closed? Sure.

But close it? No.

Same with math: once discovered and publish anyone can do anything with it.

What? I'm really struggling to find the nugget of 'point' in there, but... what?

Are you saying that Gravity is somehow biased toward powerful people?

Are you saying that refraction is somehow biased toward powerful people?

I'm left so confused by your comment. It's amazing -- hopefully in a good way!)

I believe etland might be referring to the knowledge provided by discovering the equations, rather than the natural phenomena themselves. But I may be wrong.

Yep, I'm referring to the fact that you can study, use and build on any mathematical or physics work from the past without understanding or complying with pages of what the idea of "GPL" might have looked like hundreds or even thousands of years ago.

> I'm left so confused by your comment. It's amazing -- hopefully in a good way!)

This is such a great positive way to reply, kudos