Steve Jobs and Bill Gates to 'Duke It Out' at the D5 Tomorrow, Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher to Moderate

Wow! Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, the seminal figures in the development of the personal computer and its software, will make a rare joint appearance at The Wall Street Journal's D: All Things Digital conference this year. The two men will jointly discuss the history and future of the digital revolution in an unrehearsed, unscripted, on-stage conversation on Wednesday, May 30, with D coproducers Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher. Get it on!

Both executives have made multiple individual appearances at the conference, which will celebrate its fifth anniversary this year, and is known as D5. But this will be their first joint session at D, and a highly unusual event.

In addition to participating in the joint session, Steve Jobs will appear on his own in a separate segment at D5 to discuss the latest developments at Apple, including new ventures such as the iPhone and Apple TV.

The D5 conference will also feature an impressive roster of other leaders in technology and media. Confirmed speakers include Google CEO Eric Schmidt; CBS President Les Moonves; Cisco CEO John Chambers; film director George Lucas; online pioneer Steve Case; Time Inc. CEO Ann Moore; News Corp. President Peter Chernin; Palm founder Jeff Hawkins; Steve Chen and Chad Hurley of YouTube; Viacom CEO Phillippe Dauman; Senator John McCain and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

D5 will be an all-interview event, i.e. without canned speeches. The conference, which was sold out in February at $3,995 a seat plus hotel, will take place today through Thursday at the Four Seasons Resort Aviary in Carlsbad, California, near San Diego. [Reprinted and updated from our 2/21 notice.] [Bill Fox]