company trade secrets/pay per use. Book had an ancillary gripe about "nickle and diming" (americanism, think "death by 1000 financial papercuts). A subtext to the entire engagement is that everything is implicitly rented. Here's a non-spoiler quote which (if i recall the book correctly) occurs within the first chapter:
“The door refused to open. It said, “Five cents, please.”
He searched his pockets. No more coins; nothing. “I’ll pay you tomorrow,” he told the door. Again he tried the knob. Again it remained locked tight. "
^ That door, was "the main character's front door"
IoT.
edit: grammar