In a moment few in the technology world ever expected to witness, the historic first meeting between Linus Torvalds and Bill Gates unfolded with the quiet camaraderie and unexpected warmth that only decades of shared impact can yield. For years, these two titans have been the flagbearers of distinctly different philosophies—Gates, the emblem of proprietary software, and Torvalds, the driving force behind the explosion of open source through Linux and later, Git. Yet, when the two finally sat down together, with legendary engineer Dave Cutler and Microsoft Azure CTO Mark Russinovich as host, operating systems and old rivalries took a back seat to something more human, and perhaps, more profound.
Mark Russinovich’s ambition to bring together Gates, Torvalds, and Cutler for dinner reads like a Silicon Valley fever dream from another era. For much of the 1990s and 2000s, the idea that Microsoft’s founder would share pleasantries with Linux’s creator seemed nearly impossible. The “Microsoft versus Linux” saga dominated not just industry headlines, but the culture of computing, with both sides boasting avid, vocal communities. Microsoft loomed over the desktop world, licensing Windows to OEMs across the globe, while Linux—invisible to many home users—quietly transformed the backbones of the web, high-performance computing, and eventually, mobile platforms.
But nothing in technology remains static for long. Over the past decade, Microsoft’s embrace of open source has softened hardened attitudes, and Linux now sits at the core of much of Microsoft Azure’s vast cloud infrastructure. So when Russinovich finally set the table, the anticipation wasn’t what argument might break out, but rather, what these three engineering visionaries might say to one another beyond kernel code and competitive claims.
That simple truth is a lesson in itself. The mythos around iconic tech rivalries often presupposes endless, dogged debate over technical minutiae or business strategy. Instead, Torvalds described a dinner characterized by warmth and curiosity—an evening in which the participants set aside past conflicts to find common ground. Far from trading barbs about process scheduling or user interfaces, Bill Gates “got animated talking about his philanthropy in Africa, and about nuclear power (both the small sodium fission efforts and fusion companies he is involved with).” The nuclear company referenced, TerraPower, was founded by Gates in 2008—a venture aiming to make next-generation reactors practical and scalable for the global energy transition.
Torvalds, never one for convention, came prepared with gifts, though he quipped that they were of limited value: “I gave everybody crappy guitar pedals, since building those is my current hobby, and none of them play guitar so it doesn’t matter if they are bad or not.” The image—three of the most influential engineers in computing, bemusedly accepting soldered-together guitar pedals they’ll likely never use—speaks volumes about both the humility of the participants and the everyday quirks that unite tech leaders beyond code.
Yet, while the forums and social media threads still carry the embers of those old “holy wars,” the real-life meeting of Gates and Torvalds quietly acknowledged just how much more the world of software has converged than divided. Microsoft, after all, now not only contributes to the Linux kernel but owns GitHub—the epicenter of open-source code management. Linux, once derided as hobbyist fare by some at Microsoft, has become the backbone of Azure and a must-have component for any serious enterprise computing strategy. Even Dave Cutler’s presence was meaningful; he architected Windows NT, an operating system whose kernel design was once a subject of fierce debate among system engineers.
Torvalds’ final assessment was telling: “Food was good, company was good, and the Microsoft and Linux rivalries are long past.” For many, this is an almost unthinkable notion—one where former rivals are simply friendly dinner companions.
Several milestone moments attest to the company’s pivot:
This wasn’t by chance. The design philosophies underpinning Linux—modularity, transparency, and open development—trumpeted Torvalds’ original vision for a “UNIX for the masses.” Compared to the vertically-integrated, proprietary architectures dominant in Gates’ era, Linux offered unmatched adaptability and cost efficiency.
That dominance is reflected in the numbers: a 2023 survey by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation found that over 90% of cloud workloads are run on Linux-based systems. Microsoft’s Azure itself attests that Linux VMs now outnumber Windows VMs on its cloud platform—a seismic reversal of the company’s old priorities.
Yet, the landscape has undeniably shifted. The ways in which software is produced, shared, and consumed have all been radically democratized. Collaboration—across companies, borders, and ideologies—has become the status quo, not the exception. Gates’ and Torvalds’ comfort at a shared dinner table is only the latest, most human sign of this transformation.
And then, there’s the understated humor. Who else but Gates could answer, when asked if he played guitar, “No, but I know some people who do. Bono.” The room, one imagines, erupted with laughter—not at past battles, but at the absurdity and delight of decades-long arcs converging over dinner.
What can we derive from this emblematic dinner?
Similarly, some in the Linux community worry that the platform’s success in the cloud—due in part to Microsoft and other cloud majors—may drive development agendas away from grassroots projects and toward corporate priorities. The “open core” business model, in which only parts of a project are truly open, further complicates these dynamics.
That said, the explosion of new Linux distributions, tools, and communities in recent years suggests the ecosystem remains resilient, adaptive, and—when necessary—resistant to undue influence. Torvalds himself, after all, has rarely let sentiment override technical merit or community consensus.
That’s why, for those watching from afar, the Torvalds-Gates dinner is worth more than just a historical footnote. It’s a snapshot of an industry finally mature enough to honor both its battles and its reconciliations—a reminder that even the fiercest rivalries can melt away, leaving fresh ground for collaboration, even friendship, in their place.
Source: ZDNET What tech titans Linus Torvalds and Bill Gates talked about in their first meeting
A Dinner Decades in the Making
Mark Russinovich’s ambition to bring together Gates, Torvalds, and Cutler for dinner reads like a Silicon Valley fever dream from another era. For much of the 1990s and 2000s, the idea that Microsoft’s founder would share pleasantries with Linux’s creator seemed nearly impossible. The “Microsoft versus Linux” saga dominated not just industry headlines, but the culture of computing, with both sides boasting avid, vocal communities. Microsoft loomed over the desktop world, licensing Windows to OEMs across the globe, while Linux—invisible to many home users—quietly transformed the backbones of the web, high-performance computing, and eventually, mobile platforms.But nothing in technology remains static for long. Over the past decade, Microsoft’s embrace of open source has softened hardened attitudes, and Linux now sits at the core of much of Microsoft Azure’s vast cloud infrastructure. So when Russinovich finally set the table, the anticipation wasn’t what argument might break out, but rather, what these three engineering visionaries might say to one another beyond kernel code and competitive claims.
The Conversation: Not About Software (Much)
According to an account revealed by ZDNET’s Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols, who corresponded with Torvalds after the event, the actual dinner “was very pleasant,” though, “the discussions were almost entirely unrelated to any operating systems or software engineering, although we did have some with Dave Cutler.”That simple truth is a lesson in itself. The mythos around iconic tech rivalries often presupposes endless, dogged debate over technical minutiae or business strategy. Instead, Torvalds described a dinner characterized by warmth and curiosity—an evening in which the participants set aside past conflicts to find common ground. Far from trading barbs about process scheduling or user interfaces, Bill Gates “got animated talking about his philanthropy in Africa, and about nuclear power (both the small sodium fission efforts and fusion companies he is involved with).” The nuclear company referenced, TerraPower, was founded by Gates in 2008—a venture aiming to make next-generation reactors practical and scalable for the global energy transition.
Torvalds, never one for convention, came prepared with gifts, though he quipped that they were of limited value: “I gave everybody crappy guitar pedals, since building those is my current hobby, and none of them play guitar so it doesn’t matter if they are bad or not.” The image—three of the most influential engineers in computing, bemusedly accepting soldered-together guitar pedals they’ll likely never use—speaks volumes about both the humility of the participants and the everyday quirks that unite tech leaders beyond code.
The Symbolism: From Combat to Collaboration
The dinner was legendary not for its technical fireworks, but for its symbolism: a bridging of philosophies that shaped entire industries. Gates’ early career orbited around making software into a product, repeatedly emphasizing that code had market value and that piracy was an existential threat. Torvalds, via Linux, was propelled by the opposite conviction: that collaboration, transparency, and modification were not only possible at scale, but could yield better, more adaptive systems. The camps couldn’t have seemed further apart.Yet, while the forums and social media threads still carry the embers of those old “holy wars,” the real-life meeting of Gates and Torvalds quietly acknowledged just how much more the world of software has converged than divided. Microsoft, after all, now not only contributes to the Linux kernel but owns GitHub—the epicenter of open-source code management. Linux, once derided as hobbyist fare by some at Microsoft, has become the backbone of Azure and a must-have component for any serious enterprise computing strategy. Even Dave Cutler’s presence was meaningful; he architected Windows NT, an operating system whose kernel design was once a subject of fierce debate among system engineers.
Torvalds’ final assessment was telling: “Food was good, company was good, and the Microsoft and Linux rivalries are long past.” For many, this is an almost unthinkable notion—one where former rivals are simply friendly dinner companions.
Microsoft’s Transformation: From Animosity to Open Arms
The change did not happen overnight. Microsoft’s history with open source is complex and at times, adversarial. In the early 2000s, then-CEO Steve Ballmer described Linux as a “cancer” that threatened “the intellectual property rights of anyone using it.” Over time, however, market realities—especially in the cloud—necessitated a softer approach.Several milestone moments attest to the company’s pivot:
- In 2014, Microsoft open-sourced .NET, its primary software framework for web and desktop applications.
- By 2016, Microsoft announced the availability of Ubuntu (a popular Linux distribution) on the Windows Store.
- Microsoft acquired GitHub in 2018, becoming the steward for millions of open source repositories.
- Contributions to the Linux kernel from Microsoft swelled, especially to ensure Azure's compatibility and efficiency when running Linux workloads.
The Enduring Strength of Linux
While Microsoft still dominates the end-user desktop, the reality on servers, in the cloud, and throughout mobile remains starkly different. Linux runs on nearly all of the world’s top 500 supercomputers and powers the vast majority of the web’s infrastructure—Amazon, Google, Facebook, Netflix, and countless more all depend on it. Moreover, Android, itself a Linux-based operating system, controls the bulk of the global mobile market.This wasn’t by chance. The design philosophies underpinning Linux—modularity, transparency, and open development—trumpeted Torvalds’ original vision for a “UNIX for the masses.” Compared to the vertically-integrated, proprietary architectures dominant in Gates’ era, Linux offered unmatched adaptability and cost efficiency.
That dominance is reflected in the numbers: a 2023 survey by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation found that over 90% of cloud workloads are run on Linux-based systems. Microsoft’s Azure itself attests that Linux VMs now outnumber Windows VMs on its cloud platform—a seismic reversal of the company’s old priorities.
Mutual Respect, Lingering Skepticism
If former rivals can share a pleasant meal and gifts, what remains of the animosity that defined an entire generation of computer enthusiasts? As Torvalds pointed out, some members of both communities still view the détente as premature or inauthentic. Deep suspicions persist—especially in the free software movement—regarding Microsoft’s true intentions and its legal and technical maneuvering around open source. For every GitHub acquisition or .NET repository opened, critics point to the company’s historical patent threats, manipulation of standards, or aggressive licensing strategies.Yet, the landscape has undeniably shifted. The ways in which software is produced, shared, and consumed have all been radically democratized. Collaboration—across companies, borders, and ideologies—has become the status quo, not the exception. Gates’ and Torvalds’ comfort at a shared dinner table is only the latest, most human sign of this transformation.
Personalities Beyond the Press
The dinner also offered a rare glimpse into how these high-profile figures unwind. Gates, more frequently seen lately championing global health and climate causes, could not resist discussing his philanthropic and scientific passions—from malaria eradication in Africa to the promise and pitfalls of nuclear energy. Torvalds, ever the hobbyist, continues to tinker, seeing in guitar pedal kits the same modularity and hands-on reward that first drew him to develop Linux at university. Even his choice of gift had symbolic resonance: “LEGO for grown-ups with a soldering iron,” as he put it, capturing the blend of playfulness and engineering rigor that has defined his career.And then, there’s the understated humor. Who else but Gates could answer, when asked if he played guitar, “No, but I know some people who do. Bono.” The room, one imagines, erupted with laughter—not at past battles, but at the absurdity and delight of decades-long arcs converging over dinner.
Lessons Learned: Moving Past Old Rivalries
For the technology community at large, the Torvalds-Gates meeting serves as a clarion call to recognize and move beyond old binaries. In a world where hybrid models, interoperability, and platform-agnostic development are not just possible but necessary, clinging to old battles is costly and counterproductive.What can we derive from this emblematic dinner?
- Leadership evolves: Both Gates and Torvalds began as iconoclasts—one looking to monetize code, the other to free it. Yet, both have matured further, focusing on philanthropy, new technologies, and quiet creativity.
- Rivalries spur innovation: Without the competitive energy between open and closed approaches, modern computing might lack today’s breadth and depth. Yet, collaboration often yields longer-lasting gains.
- Software is bigger than ideology: Today’s students and engineers are likelier to use both Windows and Linux, or develop on both Visual Studio Code (now open source) and Vim, than to adhere strictly to one camp.
- Technology’s real value is in its impact: Whether the code is open or proprietary, its power lies in the real-world problems it solves—something Gates’ philanthropic work and Torvalds’ ongoing tinkering both exemplify.
Risks and Critical Perspectives
It would be remiss not to consider the risks inherent in this new era of “co-opetition.” Critics of Microsoft’s involvement in open source sound an enduring note of caution: large firms, they argue, possess resources and influence that can, intentionally or otherwise, co-opt smaller projects, set de facto standards, and ultimately undermine the foundational freedoms on which open source thrives. The acquisition of GitHub, for instance, raised alarms about the centralization of open source infrastructure and the risk of lock-in or surveillance, even as Microsoft has pledged support and investment.Similarly, some in the Linux community worry that the platform’s success in the cloud—due in part to Microsoft and other cloud majors—may drive development agendas away from grassroots projects and toward corporate priorities. The “open core” business model, in which only parts of a project are truly open, further complicates these dynamics.
That said, the explosion of new Linux distributions, tools, and communities in recent years suggests the ecosystem remains resilient, adaptive, and—when necessary—resistant to undue influence. Torvalds himself, after all, has rarely let sentiment override technical merit or community consensus.
The Future: Shared Challenges, Shared Solutions
As software continues to “eat the world,” the next generation of challenges will require a new kind of cooperation—one that rises above the my-way-or-the-highway ethos of the past. Climate change, cybersecurity, the digital divide, and the growing power of artificial intelligence all demand solutions that are both innovative and widely shared. Gates’ work in global health and climate, and Torvalds’ platform for collaborative engineering (now stretching from Linux to Git), are testament to what’s possible when boundaries blur.That’s why, for those watching from afar, the Torvalds-Gates dinner is worth more than just a historical footnote. It’s a snapshot of an industry finally mature enough to honor both its battles and its reconciliations—a reminder that even the fiercest rivalries can melt away, leaving fresh ground for collaboration, even friendship, in their place.
Conclusion
While operating systems and codebase debates may never disappear, what matters most is the recognition that technological progress is often forged through both competition and rapprochement. The historic meeting of Linus Torvalds and Bill Gates closed the loop on decades of rivalry, illuminating the power of mutual respect and the potential of shared ambition. As Linux continues to win new territories and Microsoft redefines its place in the open source world, the lessons of that dinner—humility, curiosity, and good humor—stand as an invitation to the rest of the tech community: the future is built together, not apart.Source: ZDNET What tech titans Linus Torvalds and Bill Gates talked about in their first meeting
