Top comment on that page is perfect:
One wrote their own operating system incorporating others ideas on operating systems, the other's mom bought theirs.
this post was submitted on 22 Jun 2025
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Mommy was one of the higher ups at IBM. Gates got most of it just handed to him. They are not the same.
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Both Torvalds and Gates are nerds... Gates decided to monetize it and Torvalds decided to give it away.
But without Microsoft's "PC on every desktop" vision for the '90s, we may not have seen such an increased demand for server infrastructure which is all running the Linux kernel now.
Arguably Torvalds' strategy had a greater impact than Gates because now many of us carry his kernel in our pocket. But I think both needed each other to get where we are today.
I've said this before here, but techy people vastly overestimate both the ability and the patience of the typical user, and it's the reason so few people use FOSS products.
Products from big tech aimed at private individuals are designed to be as simple to use as possible, which is why they're so popular.
What about the boat loads of marketing - ads - aimed at making you believe those proprietary programs are the best? Clearly you fell for it.
I've used my share of free software. Some of it worked well, but it always felt clunky, and just never as straightforward to use as a paid product.
But sure, I couldn't possibly have reached that conclusion on my own, it's obviously the marketing.
Sounds like you're cherry picking both; I've seen plenty of garbage that costs money as well.
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Big tech designing their products to be overly simple is one of the driving forces behind the average user having poor patience and aptitude for tech.
Barf. Or maybe, just maybe, we have other shit to do rather than spend hours trying to figure out how to do one thing in Gimp. It's great that YOU'RE passionate about tech. Some of us have other hobbies. Imagine that holy shit
Buddy, if I open Photoshop it's gonna take me hours to learn how to do one thing too, what a horrible example lmao. There's like so many easy slam dunks you could've said too.
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You should not expect to use a tool (edit: competently) without spending time learning how to use it. Photoshop has a learning curve too, even if it's an easier one.
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That really nails it, I think. Tech is a hobby for some, a means to an end for the vast majority.
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Christ this is such a Lemmy take.
The other option is users just not using tech at all.
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Too bad Steve Wozniak wasn't there too lol
Now kithhh
I hate to sound preachy, but this is a good example of “rivals” peacefully meeting.
So many people I meet IRL seem conditioned to think this person they hate on the internet would be someone they’d shout at like they’re an axe murderer, in the middle of a murder. It’s the example they see. Death threats are, like, normal on Facebook or TV News or whatever they’re into, apparently.
Again at risk of reaching... this feels like positive masculinity to me.
And leaders acting like adults.
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For platforms that don't accept those types of edits, the link OP tried to submit: https://www.theverge.com/news/690815/bill-gates-linus-torvalds-meeting-photo
Linus looks old now 😭
I guess that's how time works but still...
I said in another thread about this, he looks like an older Tom Scott.
Down to the red shirt.
And hoodie!
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