The image circulating on social media brings together two of the most influential figures in the history of computing at the same table
A photograph recently shared by Mark Russinovich, CTO and Deputy CISO of Microsoft Azure, has captured the attention of the tech world: Bill Gates and Linus Torvalds, together for the first time, joined by David Cutler at a private dinner. The meeting is not only symbolically significant, but it also represents an unlikely convergence between two radically different visions that have defined the course of modern computing.
“I had the thrill of a lifetime hosting a dinner for Bill Gates, Linus Torvalds, and David Cutler. Linus had never met Bill, and Dave had never met Linus. No major decisions were made about the kernel, but maybe at the next dinner,” Russinovich wrote on LinkedIn.
From ideological adversaries to a historical coincidence
For decades, Bill Gates and Linus Torvalds represented opposing models of software development. Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, championed proprietary software, advocating for ecosystem control and commercial profitability. Torvalds, on the other hand, led the free software movement with the creation of the Linux kernel, which is now used in all types of devices, from servers to mobile phones.
Despite their enormous impact on the industry, they had never met in person. The informal yet symbolically potent gathering took place at an unspecified event, organized by Russinovich, a key figure in the cloud computing world.
David Cutler, the technical bridge
Alongside them is David Cutler, another pivotal name in systems engineering history. Although less known to the general public, Cutler was the principal architect of the Windows NT operating system, the core of modern Windows versions. His deeply technical career positions him as a link between Microsoft’s corporate culture and the hacker tradition closely aligned with the open development model.
Cutler, Gates, and Torvalds share something essential: their legacies have profoundly influenced how contemporary operating systems are built and run.
No kernel decisions, but a historic moment
While Russinovich joked about the possibility of kernel decisions being made at the dinner—a nod to those knowledgeable in operating systems—the value of the meeting is purely historical and symbolic. Three generations of system architecture—from mainframes to the cloud and open code—gathered in a single image.
The photo represents more than an anecdote; it is a reminder of the technical progress made possible by both collaboration and the contrast between different visions of computing. The openness represented by Linux, the commercialization led by Microsoft, and the structural architecture of systems like Windows NT have defined the foundations on which today’s tech ecosystem rests.
A snapshot for the digital history books
The image of Gates, Torvalds, and Cutler sharing a meal won’t change the course of computing, but it does document it. It is a photo for the annals of contemporary digital history: testimony that, despite differences, the most influential figures can meet—literally—in the same place.
As some comments on social media suggest, it would only need Steve Wozniak and Dennis Ritchie (in spirit) to complete the family portrait of the world that built the digital age.