What is the general rule regarding access to unpublished and abandoned applications?

Unpublished and abandoned applications are indeed maintained in confidence by the Patent Office. This is based on the principles of confidentiality surrounding certain patent processes. Unpublished applications, in particular, are not available for public inspection until they are either published after a specified period or granted a patent. This confidentiality is designed to protect the rights of inventors during the period in which their applications are pending. Additionally, even abandoned applications generally do not enter the public domain immediately and retain some level of confidentiality.

The notion is that access is restricted to safeguard the interests of inventors and their proprietary designs or methods, preventing competitors from having access to potentially sensitive information that could affect the competitive landscape. Hence, only specific entities within the Patent Office can view these applications unless the information becomes publicly accessible under certain conditions.