Bill Gates meets the man who created software once regarded as one of the 'biggest Microsoft enemy'

Bill Gates and the creator of the Linux operating system , Linus Torvalds , have publicly met for the first time. The two tech industry titans were seen together at a dinner hosted by Mark Russinovich , Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft Azure . Linux is a free and open-source operating system that was once regarded as one of the “biggest enemies of Microsoft .”
The meeting was revealed via a LinkedIn post by Russinovich, which also included Microsoft’s David Cutler. This encounter marks a significant moment, given that Linux was once considered a major competitor to Microsoft's popularity in the software world. Despite decades in the tech industry, Gates and Torvalds had never been publicly seen in a friendly setting until now. While the exact agenda of their dinner remains undisclosed, the gathering of these influential figures is a notable moment in tech history.

What Microsoft CTO said about Bill Gates meeting Linux creator

In a LinkedIn post, Russinovich shared a selfie with Gates, Torvalds and Cutler and wrote: “I had the thrill of a lifetime, hosting dinner for Bill Gates, Linus Torvalds and David Cutler. Linus had never met Bill, and Dave had never met Linus. No major kernel decisions were made, but maybe next dinner 😉”

Bill Gates and Linus Torvalds represent two different approaches to software development. Gates, as the founder of Microsoft, has focused on building a closed-source, commercial software ecosystem.
His work has involved monetising software through licensing and strategic corporate practices, with an emphasis on controlling the broader ecosystem.

In contrast, Linus Torvalds is known for supporting open-source development. As the creator of Linux, Torvalds prioritised collaboration with developers and promoted software freedom over corporate interests.

Torvalds has also openly critiqued Microsoft's approach in the past, often highlighting differences between open-source and proprietary software models.

The differing ideologies between Gates and Torvalds may explain why they haven’t interacted much, though there’s no known personal conflict. According to Russinovich, “no major kernel decisions” were discussed during the meeting.