At eLiberatica conference a Microsoft evangelist answered to a question about why Microsoft is involving in Open Source with “you know, it is like in chess”

For sure this is not a corporate formal position but an employee perception of his company plans and policies.

Is Microsoft playing a gambit with open source?

A gambit is a chess opening in which the first player risks or sacrifices material, usually a pawn), with the hope of achieving a resulting advantageous position.

So this is an attack, and the “give away” is poisoned. Microsoft “sacrifices” material - money, intellectual property - with the hope to gain a future advantage.

It is also a temporary situation.

Microsoft still see open source as an enemy. They not accepted it as an integral part of the IT industry and still try fighting it - they aim for “check-mat”

In modern chess, the typical response to a moderately sound gambit is to accept the material and give the material back at an advantageous time.
For gambits that are less sound, the accepting player is more likely to try to hold onto his extra material.

It is expected for a company to chase profit. Of course a company giving away something should expect some kind of return.

I am only questioning the attitude: open source involvement: This should be a COLABORATION not a fight.

I still wonder if this a “sound” gambit or a “less sound” one?!