Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently had a significant meeting with Linux creator Linus Torvalds, marking their first encounter at a dinner hosted by Microsoft Azure CTO Mark Russinovich. Russinovich shared his excitement on LinkedIn, noting that neither Linus nor the late David Cutler had met Gates before. While the dinner did not lead to any groundbreaking decisions for kernel development, it marked a historic moment for the tech giants.
This meeting holds great significance given the history between Microsoft and Linux, which have represented opposing fundamental philosophies in software—proprietary commercial software (Windows) versus open source (Linux). Windows has dominated as the preferred operating system worldwide, whereas Linux has established itself as a free, collaborative platform. In the early 2000s, Linux was considered one of Microsoft’s major competitors, especially with the surge in open-source adoption.
Historically, Microsoft had publicly derided Linux, with former CEO Steve Ballmer infamously describing it as a “cancer” threatening intellectual property in 2001. Over time, Microsoft’s perspective has shifted considerably. By 2016, Ballmer acknowledged that although his past statements were valid at the time, the open-source threat was no longer a pressing concern. Today, Microsoft actively contributes to and utilizes the Linux kernel, particularly in its Azure cloud services.
The meeting has stirred reactions online, leading to an outpouring of memes and jokes about this notable convergence of the two tech titans. While their relationship has evolved, Gates and Torvalds still hold differing views, especially regarding artificial intelligence. Gates has predicted that advancements in AI will reduce the need for human involvement in various functions, while Torvalds expressed skepticism, labeling much of the AI narrative as “90% marketing” and suggesting he prefers to ignore the hype surrounding it.
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