[systemvoltage]

I partially agree with your points. I've worked in deeply esoteric fields - layout editors for semiconductors to wind-turbine simulation packages. There is a whole world of software out there besides the tools most software engineers use - things like PostgreSQL and your favorite web framework.

A turbine simulation package costs $250k a year in license and it is specifically tailored for our wind turbine nacelle loads, configuration and wind farm layout.

If they just give out this software for free but provide support, I am not sure if that would be sustainable. They can provide the source code for inspection ("visible code" not "open source code") if that's what your concern is. Most esoteric software don't care about the visibility of their code. It is just the right to use it freely that they opposite and I feel like rightfully so.