Paul Allen, Microsoft Co-Founder dies.

910A · Mon Oct 15, 2018 10:30 pm

Paul Allen dies today at 65.

They were teenage computer geeks, bespectacled kids from Seattle who taught themselves programming from a Teletype terminal, learned the basics of business from Fortune magazine and dreamed of “a computer in every home and on every desk.”

Paul Allen was the self-described “idea man,” the shy son of librarians. Bill Gates was the business-oriented partner who brought the ideas to life. And in 1975, when Mr. Allen was 22 and Gates was 19, the friends formed a company that became known as Microsoft, and unleashed a personal-computer revolution that made both men fabulously wealthy.

Mr. Allen left the company after only eight years, amid a bout with Hodgkin’s disease and a deteriorating friendship with Gates. But he remained a powerful force in technology and philanthropy for decades, investing his billions in an eclectic array of businesses and charitable efforts while acquiring sports teams, discovering World War II shipwrecks, and backing aerospace ventures that drew on his childhood fascination with adventure stories and science fiction.

Also was the owner of the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trailblazers. Mr. Allen did a quite a bit in his life.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/ob ... 96e82bfb8e

Dutchy · Mon Oct 15, 2018 10:34 pm

Paul Allen lived his life to the fullest. Inspirational, much more than Gates. Sad to hear he died.

GalaxyFlyer · Tue Oct 16, 2018 2:43 am

Not to the people in his flight department, he wasn’t. A miserable operation that turned over crews like underwear. One new pilot introduced himself to Mr. Allen, who was hi-tech hero to him, Allen Walked on by with any effort to respond. The next day a memo went out stating no one would approach or speak to him unless addressed by him first. Crews were on a three-hour hook, 365 days a year. I know of a flight attendant who was pulled out of a Seahawks game and left for two weeks without going home, bags packed in her car.

GF

Tugger · Tue Oct 16, 2018 4:26 am

RIP Mr. Allen.

As noted above he had enough wealth that he could be a jerk and not worry about it. But he did have some very cool toys and could do very cool things. So what happens to Octopus now?

$20B+ in wealth, no kids or partner or ex's, just a sister who managed his foundations. So the question is: Where does all that wealth go?

Tugg

DL717 · Tue Oct 16, 2018 4:29 am

Wow! Didn’t know he had Hodgekins. RIP. Too young.

cjg225 · Wed Oct 17, 2018 12:47 am

I admit, when I first saw the headline, my first thought was, "I hope he left money to keep the R/V Petrel operating and looking for World War II shipwrecks." His research vessel's finds have been a great source of interest and fascination for me for a couple years now.

Flighty · Wed Oct 17, 2018 1:08 am

GalaxyFlyer wrote:
Not to the people in his flight department, he wasn’t. A miserable operation that turned over crews like underwear. One new pilot introduced himself to Mr. Allen, who was hi-tech hero to him, Allen Walked on by with any effort to respond. The next day a memo went out stating no one would approach or speak to him unless addressed by him first. Crews were on a three-hour hook, 365 days a year. I know of a flight attendant who was pulled out of a Seahawks game and left for two weeks without going home, bags packed in her car.

GF

Some people are clueless, sounds like Paul Allen didn't have much of a clue about people! Christ, he probably didn't have a lot of friends. Why not at least be cool to your (huge) staff? But that's how some people are.

In his defense... people probably came at him 10 times a week expecting an audience. That is something that sucks about being famous AND rich. Everybody thinks you are going to be thrilled to hear their special idea, usually hoping to cling to you and be buddies. He did what he could. And he might not have had the capability to do better. With so many years of practice, he ought to have figured people out. Shame.

I read the Elon Musk biography recommended because he's so awesome. I came away from that book thinking Elon Musk is a terrible father, terrible husband and one of the worst human beings I have ever heard of. I would use his product but I would not want to be friends with him. Nor would I respect him at work. He's simply a terrible person.

Paul Allen, Microsoft Co-Founder dies.

Paul Allen, Microsoft Co-Founder dies.

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