Arduino has always been a naked cash grab disguised as a "hacker-friendly nonprofit." The gross margin on their boards is >90%, and yeah, the software is mostly a ripoff of wiring.

The software was based on Processing. It was never a secret, just open source working as intended. It doesn't look the same any more.

A non-profit is still a business. Success is necessary for existence.

Think about the number of companies that have been created to make, or heavily specialize in Arduino clones and accessories without having to pay Arduino a cent because the designs were intentionally open-sourced. It doesn't sound like a naked cash grab to me.

I have troubles calling something a "cash grab" when it's been arguably the single most influential project in the hacker/maker/DIY electronics space.

I don't doubt the boards could've been sold cheaper, but they clearly were doing something right given how much it changed the hobbyist landscape

Great businesses can still be cash grabs. In fact, many of them are. Very few of those dress themselves up as a nonprofit (aside from Arduino and OpenAI).