Paul Allen
Paul Allen
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| Allen, Paul Gardner | |
| Born | January 21, 1953 Seattle, Washington |
| Died | October 15, 2018 Seattle, Washington |
| Occupation | Founder, Microsoft |
Career
Early Life and Education
A gifted student with an early fascination with science and electronics, Allen developed a deep interest in computers during his time at Lakeside School, the same private school attended by Bill Gates. It was there that the two future Microsoft founders met, bonding over their shared enthusiasm for programming and emerging computer technologies.
Lakeside's access to a Teletype terminal connected to a mainframe computer via time-sharing gave Allen his first real exposure to coding. He quickly became proficient in programming languages such as BASIC and assembly, and began pushing the limits of what was possible with the minimal hardware then available.
Early Programming Projects and Traf-O-Data
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Allen and Gates collaborated on several small-scale projects, culminating in the creation of Traf-O-Data. This small business aimed to automate the analysis of traffic data for city governments using the Intel 8008 microprocessor. Allen handled most of the hardware and low-level programming work, while Gates contributed to the software. Though Traf-O-Data was only modestly successful commercially, it was a crucial learning experience that gave both young men experience with real-time systems, microprocessor programming, and entrepreneurship.
Dropping Out and Working at Honeywell
After high school, Allen attended Washington State University but dropped out in 1974 after two years, eager to get closer to the forefront of the computing revolution. He took a programming job at Honeywell in Boston, where he reconnected with Bill Gates, who was studying at nearby Harvard University.
At Honeywell, Allen worked on software for DEC systems, gaining valuable experience in systems programming. But he remained closely attuned to the rapid developments in personal computing, particularly with the introduction of early microprocessors such as the Intel 8080.
Altair BASIC was a milestone not only for Gates and Allen, but for the entire personal computing industry. It was one of the first high-level languages available for microcomputers and established the market for commercial software. Gates, often obsessed with optimization, wrote lean and efficient code despite the Altair’s severe memory constraints.
Altair BASIC and the Birth of Microsoft
In early 1975, Allen saw a cover story in Popular Electronics about the MITS Altair 8800, a groundbreaking kit computer based on the Intel 8080. He immediately recognized the Altair's potential as the beginning of the personal computer revolution. Allen persuaded Gates to collaborate on creating a version of BASIC that would run on the Altair.
Allen took the lead on simulating the Altair’s 8080 environment on a Harvard PDP-10 mainframe, while Gates worked on writing the interpreter. The resulting software, Altair BASIC, was the first product from the duo and one of the first high-level languages available for a microcomputer. Allen personally demonstrated it to MITS founder Ed Roberts in Albuquerque, impressively bootstrapping the interpreter despite never having run it on real Altair hardware before.
Following the successful demo and licensing deal with MITS, Allen joined the company as Director of Software. Shortly afterward, in April 1975, he and Gates co-founded Micro-Soft (later Microsoft), with Allen as the visionary technologist and Gates as the business strategist.
Technical Vision and Role at Microsoft
During Microsoft's early years, Paul Allen played a crucial role in shaping the company’s technical direction. He was deeply involved in porting Microsoft BASIC to a wide array of microprocessors, including the 6502 and Z80, ensuring that Microsoft's software could run on platforms ranging from the Apple II to the TRS-80.
Allen also led the company’s efforts in operating system development. Most notably, in 1980, when IBM approached Microsoft for an OS for its upcoming IBM PC, Allen was instrumental in locating and negotiating the purchase of QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) from Seattle Computer Products. Allen oversaw its adaptation into MS-DOS, the operating system that would become the foundation of the IBM PC and one of Microsoft's most successful products.
While Gates focused on business expansion and licensing, Allen remained Microsoft’s leading technical visionary during this formative period. His ability to synthesize trends in hardware and software helped position Microsoft as the dominant software provider in the exploding microcomputer market.
Health Crisis and Departure from Microsoft
In 1982, Allen was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Although the illness was successfully treated, it led him to reassess his priorities. He resigned from his day-to-day role at Microsoft in 1983 but remained on the board of directors and retained a significant ownership stake. His early programming work, strategic insight, and key technical contributions had already left a lasting impact.
Later Ventures and Legacy
After leaving Microsoft, Allen pursued a wide array of interests across technology, media, space, and philanthropy. He founded Asymetrix (later renamed Click2Learn), invested in cable television through Charter Communications, and supported scientific research through the Allen Institute for Brain Science. He also launched Vulcan Inc., his umbrella company for managing his ventures, and was a key backer of SpaceShipOne, the first private spacecraft to reach suborbital space.
Allen remained a passionate advocate for innovation, funding research into artificial intelligence, biosciences, and data-intensive science. He also became well-known for his philanthropic efforts, donating billions to causes in health, education, and the arts.
Paul Allen passed away on October 15, 2018, from complications of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was 65.
List of major works
