It's a metaphorical term of art, but also a sentiment among companies. They do treat talent as property, surprisingly often.

And there's often a fair bit of tit-for-tat and specific arrangements about poaching and when it's okay. Which is understandable in such a small, chummy industry (think Silicon Valley venture-backed startups, which are all about networking).

But it's also illegal, and devalues programmers, both monetarily and metaphorically.