Paul G. Allen, the cofounder of Microsoft, may be one of the richest men in the world with a fortune at 13 billion. But he still feels his former partner, Bill Gates, for not sharing enough credit or give him his due financially.
In a memoir due out next month which istinged with bitterness and regret, Mr. Allen accuses Mr. Gates to cut its stake in the company and the credit for some of his contributions.
The charges surprised some in the small circle of former Microsoft at first, that Mr. Gates and Mr. Allen have known each other since high school and remained on good terms until recently. Moreover, the wealth of Mr. Allen rose mainly because of the success that Microsoft came well after he left the company in 1983.
"I think the argument you've been cheated financially difficult to do when you come to be so rich," said Vern Raburn, who worked at Microsoft from 1978 to 1981 and ran its consumer products division. Mr. Raburn said he was friends with the two founders and he had not read the book or an excerpt of which was published on Wednesday, Vanity Fair's website.
Mr. Raburn added that Mr. Allen has played a key role in the early days of the company, and that "the bill out of his way to recognize it."
In the excerpt, Mr. Allen also slips Steven A. Ballmer,Mr. Gates recruited as business manager of Microsoft in 1980 and who replaced Bill Gates as CEO in 2000.
Mr. Allen wrote that in December 1982 after learning he had Hodgkin's disease, he heard Mr. Gates and Mr. Ballmer conspiracy to deprive him of his due.
"They have been lamenting my lack of recent production and discuss how they could dilute my shareholders by issuing options to Microsoft themselves and other shareholders," said Allen.
Mr. Allen said he burst into the room and confronted the two men, shouting: "It's amazing! It shows your true character, once and for all. "
Mr. Allen said he later apologized, but he had already decided to leave the company. The book, "Idea Man: A Memoir by the co-founder of Microsoft," to be published by Portfolio / Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Group USA.
In a statement, Mr. Gates said: ". If I remember many of these events may differ from Paul, I value his friendship and the important contribution he made to the world of technology and Microsoft "A Microsoft spokesman said Ballmer declined comment.
Mr. Allen, through a spokesman, declined comment. The spokesman, David Postman, "said the memorandum was not intended as an attack against Mr. Gates. "We'll leave the memorial is standing there, and we hope people take the time to read the book and have a full picture," he said.
The bitterness and sense of betrayal echo the most recent complaints against Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder Youth, by Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook and Zuckerberg to Harvard roommate, on reducing the role of M . Saverin and reduced participation in the company.
In a series of memories that the painting of Mr. Gates in an unflattering light, Mr. Allen said, after deciding to leave, Mr. Gates made a "lowball" offer of $ 5 per share for the participation of Mr. Allen of Microsoft. Mr. Allen has requested at least $ 10 per share, and Mr. Gates refused. This decision eventually turned into a billionaire Allen.
"From the moment that we started together in Massachusetts, I suppose that our partnership would be a 50-50 proposition," Mr. Allen wrote earlier in the extract. "But Bill had other ideas."
During the early years of Microsoft, Gates has put pressure on Mr. Allen to reduce its stake to 40 percent and 36 percent later as a particular challenge Mr. Gates has increased to 60 and 64 percent, Mr. Allen wrote. "Bill knew I balked at a division by two to one, and that 64 percent has gone as far he could go," he writes.
Stephen Manes, co-author of "Gates: How Microsoft mogul reinvented an industry - and made himself the richest man in America", said that much of what Mr. Allen said in the extract, including the fact that its owned by Microsoft has been reduced significantly, was reported in his book and others. He also said that Mr. Gates and Mr. Allen have collaborated closely, the two often argued vehemently.
"People told us about shouting matches," said Manes. "There has been a saga that began in the office, went into the elevator and going into the park for half an hour."
After leaving Microsoft, Mr. Allen, who is 58, became known as one of the most aggressive investors in technology, although its record is mixed. It is also the owner of the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers.
People who know both men said they remained friends until recently, and that Mr. Gates has often visited Mr. Allen two years ago, when he was recovering from chemotherapy to treat lymphoma Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
"Paul is a creative person, charming and friendly," said Carl Stork, who worked at Microsoft from 1981 to 2002 and has held several leadership positions. "I do not know what Paul is trying to trying to take something from Bill. I am surprised and disappointed."
In a memoir due out next month which istinged with bitterness and regret, Mr. Allen accuses Mr. Gates to cut its stake in the company and the credit for some of his contributions.
The charges surprised some in the small circle of former Microsoft at first, that Mr. Gates and Mr. Allen have known each other since high school and remained on good terms until recently. Moreover, the wealth of Mr. Allen rose mainly because of the success that Microsoft came well after he left the company in 1983.
"I think the argument you've been cheated financially difficult to do when you come to be so rich," said Vern Raburn, who worked at Microsoft from 1978 to 1981 and ran its consumer products division. Mr. Raburn said he was friends with the two founders and he had not read the book or an excerpt of which was published on Wednesday, Vanity Fair's website.
Mr. Raburn added that Mr. Allen has played a key role in the early days of the company, and that "the bill out of his way to recognize it."
In the excerpt, Mr. Allen also slips Steven A. Ballmer,Mr. Gates recruited as business manager of Microsoft in 1980 and who replaced Bill Gates as CEO in 2000.
Mr. Allen wrote that in December 1982 after learning he had Hodgkin's disease, he heard Mr. Gates and Mr. Ballmer conspiracy to deprive him of his due.
"They have been lamenting my lack of recent production and discuss how they could dilute my shareholders by issuing options to Microsoft themselves and other shareholders," said Allen.
Mr. Allen said he burst into the room and confronted the two men, shouting: "It's amazing! It shows your true character, once and for all. "
Mr. Allen said he later apologized, but he had already decided to leave the company. The book, "Idea Man: A Memoir by the co-founder of Microsoft," to be published by Portfolio / Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Group USA.
In a statement, Mr. Gates said: ". If I remember many of these events may differ from Paul, I value his friendship and the important contribution he made to the world of technology and Microsoft "A Microsoft spokesman said Ballmer declined comment.
Mr. Allen, through a spokesman, declined comment. The spokesman, David Postman, "said the memorandum was not intended as an attack against Mr. Gates. "We'll leave the memorial is standing there, and we hope people take the time to read the book and have a full picture," he said.
The bitterness and sense of betrayal echo the most recent complaints against Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder Youth, by Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook and Zuckerberg to Harvard roommate, on reducing the role of M . Saverin and reduced participation in the company.
In a series of memories that the painting of Mr. Gates in an unflattering light, Mr. Allen said, after deciding to leave, Mr. Gates made a "lowball" offer of $ 5 per share for the participation of Mr. Allen of Microsoft. Mr. Allen has requested at least $ 10 per share, and Mr. Gates refused. This decision eventually turned into a billionaire Allen.
"From the moment that we started together in Massachusetts, I suppose that our partnership would be a 50-50 proposition," Mr. Allen wrote earlier in the extract. "But Bill had other ideas."
During the early years of Microsoft, Gates has put pressure on Mr. Allen to reduce its stake to 40 percent and 36 percent later as a particular challenge Mr. Gates has increased to 60 and 64 percent, Mr. Allen wrote. "Bill knew I balked at a division by two to one, and that 64 percent has gone as far he could go," he writes.
Stephen Manes, co-author of "Gates: How Microsoft mogul reinvented an industry - and made himself the richest man in America", said that much of what Mr. Allen said in the extract, including the fact that its owned by Microsoft has been reduced significantly, was reported in his book and others. He also said that Mr. Gates and Mr. Allen have collaborated closely, the two often argued vehemently.
"People told us about shouting matches," said Manes. "There has been a saga that began in the office, went into the elevator and going into the park for half an hour."
After leaving Microsoft, Mr. Allen, who is 58, became known as one of the most aggressive investors in technology, although its record is mixed. It is also the owner of the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers.
People who know both men said they remained friends until recently, and that Mr. Gates has often visited Mr. Allen two years ago, when he was recovering from chemotherapy to treat lymphoma Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
"Paul is a creative person, charming and friendly," said Carl Stork, who worked at Microsoft from 1981 to 2002 and has held several leadership positions. "I do not know what Paul is trying to trying to take something from Bill. I am surprised and disappointed."
