balk is the American spelling of baulk, meaning to hesitate, stop short, or refuse to proceed due to reluctance, fear, or an obstacle.

"He got personal visits from both Ballmer and Gates that pressured him to stay with Microsoft but did not balk" can be rephrased as "He was pressured by Microsoft [to stay with Windows] but that pressure did not cause him to hesitate [with switching to Linux]."

If he did not balk that means he did not refuse. Which means he complied.

What he did not do was comply/capitulate/etc.

Merriam-Webster has balk as to stop short and refuse to proceed. To understand the intended meaning, put the emphasis on the first part: If the mayor did not balk, he did not stop, that is, he refused to comply and proceeded with his plan.

> Merriam-Webster has balk as to stop short and refuse to proceed. To understand the intended meaning, put the emphasis on the first part: If the mayor did not balk, he did not stop, that is, he refused to comply and proceeded with his plan.

I feel like one of us is extremely confused.

"Balk" = "stop" = "refuse to proceed", right?

So "<did not> balk" = "<did not> stop" = "<did not> refuse to proceed", right?

"<Did not> refuse to proceed" with Microsoft's proposal therefore means he in fact complied with Microsoft's proposal and did proceed with it, right?

The thing he "<Did not> refuse to proceed" with was LiMux, his project for moving away from Microsoft.

Baulk - refuse to comply

> He got personal visits from both Ballmer and Gates that pressured him to stay with Microsoft[2] but did not balk.

So he did not refuse to comply, i.e. complied? I think the parent is right: Grandparent probably meant "he did not budge".

Per Merriam-Webster, 'to balk' means:

1: to refuse abruptly

2: to stop short and refuse to proceed

Per Cambridge Dictionary, it means:

to be unwilling to do something or to allow something to happen

So "He did not balk" can be read as "He did not stop" / "He was willing to let things proceed"

> Per Cambridge Dictionary, it means: to be unwilling to do something

You agree balking means being unwilling, right?

So not balking means being willing, right?

He did not balk, therefore he was not unwilling, therefore he was willing, right?

So he was willing to do what Microsoft asked, "but" so was the next guy? What?

> So he was willing to do what Microsoft asked?

No. Balk = stop and return on your steps. He was moving towards ”migrating more than 14000 PCs in public administration to Linux”, Gates and Ballmer tried to make him stop, but he continued on his path.

> So not balking means being willing, right?

In this case, willing to proceed with what he was planning to do, that is, moving from Windows to Linux against Microsoft's wishes.

edit: And you're right that this implies "balking at Microsoft's proposal". Personally, I did read the sentence as intended ("they wanted him to balk (= stop his plans), but he did not"), but I can see how the phrasing can be misleading...