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Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Hits Out at Gates

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Re: Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Hits Out at Gates

#11

Post by smackay »

winestock wrote: post #2

Cringley's account of Paul Allen's fight against Hodgkin's disease while at Microsoft may be relevant. http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2006/pulpit_20060330_0008...

Cringley's account is very critical of Gates and Balmer, particularly on the subject of getting control of Paul Allen's shares in Microsoft should the worst happen. While this seems very cold-blooded it was probably a reasonable course of action given the circumstances - look what happened to CraigsList when one of the founders sold out to eBay.

Re: Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Hits Out at Gates

#12

Post by hvs »

c2 wrote: post #5

I feel like I've worked with people like Paul Allen (programmers). They tend to over value their own contributions and have "revisionist histories" when considering their relationship with their manager, but really it comes down to how much recognition they received. The quote about Paul wanting significantly more shares for his contributions to SoftCard specifically ring true. SoftCard might have been a sales succes…

It's hardly fair to look back with 30 years of hindsight and say that BASIC was more important to a company than SoftCard. Obviously, we know that now, but that doesn't speak to their specific situation.

Re: Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Hits Out at Gates

#13

Post by grannyg00se »

codingthewheel wrote: post #3

Difficult to see how publicizing this stuff could be beneficial for Mr. Allen. At that level, and sitting on top of a multi-billion dollar fortune, it almost never behooves you to say anything negative about anybody -- least of all one of your former partners. I also think complaining about not getting a bigger share of MS stock, when you've got 14 billion in the bank...not exactly the stuff of which Jedi are made.

It's an interesting type of discrimination at play here. The rich have just as much right to free speech and human emotion as everybody else. If someone feels that they have been mistreated, it is not appropriate to belittle their concerns based on their net worth. Whether their net worth is very low, or very high.

Re: Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Hits Out at Gates

#14

Post by eyeforgotmyname »

I always thought that Gates was the key business guy and Allen the key technology guy, Gates made the money and Allen made the product. Once the product was out Allen was no longer required, the ball was in Gates court and he sold the shit out of it. Am I wrong in this view?

Re: Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Hits Out at Gates

#15

Post by rbanffy »

hvs wrote: post #12
c2 wrote: post #5

I feel like I've worked with people like Paul Allen (programmers). They tend to over value their own contributions and have "revisionist histories" when considering their relationship with their manager, but really it comes down to how much recognition they received. The quote about Paul wanting significantly more shares for his contributions to SoftCard specifically ring true. SoftCard might have been a sales succes…

It's hardly fair to look back with 30 years of hindsight and say that BASIC was more important to a company than SoftCard. Obviously, we know that now , but that doesn't speak to their specific situation.

IIRC, Paul Allen wrote most of Microsoft's original BASIC interpreter... And the emulator they used to develop it.

Re: Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Hits Out at Gates

#17

Post by kloncks »

Is it just me or was Bill's reaction so cordial and professional? I loved it; thought it was great.

"While my recollection of many of these events may differ from Paul's, I value his friendship and the important contributions he made to the world of technology and at Microsoft," Mr. Gates said in a written statement.

Re: Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Hits Out at Gates

#18

Post by [deleted] »

jbigelow wrote: post #10
codingthewheel wrote: post #3

Difficult to see how publicizing this stuff could be beneficial for Mr. Allen. At that level, and sitting on top of a multi-billion dollar fortune, it almost never behooves you to say anything negative about anybody -- least of all one of your former partners. I also think complaining about not getting a bigger share of MS stock, when you've got 14 billion in the bank...not exactly the stuff of which Jedi are made.

What is the risk for somebody with 14 billion in the bank to call out other when he/she feels they've been wrong (regardless of whether it's perception or reality). Allen could have called Gates they antichrist and he'd still have people lined up around the block to take his VC money or sit in the owner's box of Trailblazers game with him. 14 billion is definitely "FU" money.

[deleted]

Re: Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Hits Out at Gates

#19

Post by sunchild »

codingthewheel wrote: post #3

Difficult to see how publicizing this stuff could be beneficial for Mr. Allen. At that level, and sitting on top of a multi-billion dollar fortune, it almost never behooves you to say anything negative about anybody -- least of all one of your former partners. I also think complaining about not getting a bigger share of MS stock, when you've got 14 billion in the bank...not exactly the stuff of which Jedi are made.

He isn't doing it to benefit himself. He probably doesn't care whether you like him or not, and he definitely doesn't need your money or respect.

I guess Paul just wants the world to know that the image of Gates as our benevolent patron of philanthropy is itself revisionism, lest anyone forget that Bill Gates was one of the least loyal and trustworthy friends a person could ask for.

It doesn't surprise me that HN sides with the victor in cases like this, but I would argue that any serious business person should watch and learn carefully from the lessons of two close friends who changed the world and ended up disliking each other.

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