What I loved about Paul Allen

&quot;... Popular Electronics. It featured a new computer called the Altair 8800, which ran on a powerful new chip. Paul looked at me and said: “This is happening without us!” That moment marked the end of my college career and the beginning of our new company, Microsoft. It happened because of Paul.&quot;<p>What a magical moment, those youthful fancies. I know that very spot they stood and it still is the same I guess -- all the traffic on either side of the newsstand, street singers, students running to their classes, eating places to decide upon, bookstores ... and the ideas that bloomed from there are so many.<p>Bye, Mr. Allen.

I have perhaps one friend that I&#x27;ve known more than 15 years. Part of it is that I seem to be bad at keeping friends, and also because I spent a decade moving around a lot and just lost touch with people.<p>Paul Allen and Bill Gates were friends from early teenage years until the 60s, until death. Through so much change in the world, much of it instigated by them. Through becoming some of the richest, most powerful people on the planet and then turning into philanthropists together. Nearly half a century.<p>I literally cannot imagine the emotions Gates has to be going through as he writes this note. My heart goes out to him as much as Allen&#x27;s family.

From the caption of the first photo:<p>&gt; <i>Here we are in school. That’s Paul on the left, our friend Ric Weiland, and me on the right.</i><p>In case you are wondering <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Ric_Weiland" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Ric_Weiland</a>

Growing up a poor kid in Seattle, Microsoft was always that shining beacon on the hill. The idea that anyone, if they study hard, can get a job at one of the most powerful technology companies on earth, was an amazing motivator and source of inspiration.<p>That beacon has grown a little bit dimmer.<p>And yet still, the impact Paul Allen has had on Seattle shall remain for generations to come.

The only thing I ever think of when Gates speaks about Allen is how they tried to reduce his equity when he got sick. It&#x27;s something that has stuck with me for 20+ years.

Did you also like that he got cancer and you tried to rip him off?<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.cnet.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;paul-allen-gates-ballmer-tried-to-rip-me-off&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.cnet.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;paul-allen-gates-ballmer-tried-to-...</a><p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.dailymail.co.uk&#x2F;news&#x2F;article-1371608&#x2F;Bill-Gates-tried-cut-Paul-Allen-Microsoft-fell-ill-cancer.html" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.dailymail.co.uk&#x2F;news&#x2F;article-1371608&#x2F;Bill-Gates-...</a>

I loved him because he was a proper guitar geek. Owner of a lot of vintage stuff and really a good player too. A lot of people wanted him to buy and revive Gibson.

Does everyone know the story about why Paul left Microsoft? That when he told Gates and Ballmer about the cancer, in the early days, they immediately went in the other room to talk about how to divvy up Paul&#x27;s shares in the company and Paul overheard them?<p>Don&#x27;t read any of the more recent happy articles. Search for articles and books from the early days when the real truth was printed.

The way he portrays Allen as a man he looks up to, and he choice of photos, is touching.

I wonder if he had to look up what the name of that Jimi Hendrix album was? :)

Expected more from an eulogy from Bill, but that was not to be. Co-founding is obviously hard. Successful business or not.

It seems odd to have a popup over your eulogy of one of your best and oldest friends.

comment unrelated, but do not track me with ?WT.mc_id=10_16_2018_10_PaulAllen_BG-TW_&amp;WT.tsrc=BGTW&amp;linkId=58288095

anybody have a mirror? site&#x27;s down...

What a beautiful tribute!