Steve Jobs and Bill Gates debate the future of the PC in rare 1991 interview

On August 26, 1991, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates participated in their first joint interview with Fortune magazine, marking a significant moment in computing history ten years after the release of the first IBM PC.

The interview, held at Jobs’ home in Palo Alto, captured the intense rivalry between the two leaders. At the time, Gates was leading Microsoft toward the dominance of the PC market, while Jobs was navigating a transitional period with NeXT and Pixar following his departure from Apple.

The discussion was characterized by spirited debate and personal barbs. Jobs described Microsoft as a “small orifice,” to which Gates replied, “It’s a very large orifice!” Jobs also criticized the quality of existing PCs, arguing that Apple should continue to integrate hardware and software, while Gates defended the growing popularity of Windows.