> Because Apple paid to produce that knowledge? It's good that people can spend a lot of time and money developing new knowledge and then for some period of time they get to exclusively reap the rewards of doing so.

You’re describing patents?

Trade secrets. A legally recognized thing, and legally protected.

And NDAs. I may develop a non-patentable technique. That doesn't mean I can't share it with you under NDA and, if you breach said NDA, enforce it.

I'm describing "intellectual property," patents being only one way to legally protect such property.