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Paul Allen's Microsoft Experience

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the looking-in-from-outside dept.

theodp writes "Just in case Microsoft bashers don't have enough ammo, Robert X. Cringely has a couple of interesting tales in this week's column. The first explains how Bill Gates used Paul Allen's moonlighting at MITS to justify awarding himself 64% of Microsoft's stock vs. Allen's 36% (and Gates' failure to adjust the shares after he accepted a $10/hour part-time MITS job). The second heart-warming tale concerns a conversation Allen reportedly overheard late one night (as he was finishing up DOS 2.0) between Gates and Steve Ballmer discussing how to get Allen's Microsoft stock back if the Hodgkins disease Allen was battling killed him. Yikes."

6 of 515 comments (clear)

  1. Now, Knowing this... by Phantombrain · · Score: 5, Funny

    Any Bets that Allen uses Linux now?

    --
    echo YOUR_OPINION > /dev/null
  2. Considered submitting something like this on Apr 1 by PhoenixK7 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Recent internal Microsoft memos confirm that the company, despite popular belief, solely exists for the purpose of acting as whipping boy for the website slashdot.org. Sources confirm that the company has recently held meetings about finding new ways to stir the coals including mention of developing more stories that involve reasons to despise the company's execs. Gates was recently quoted as saying, "We're not getting any great flamebait anymore, they're all pretty apathetic and mundane these days. They're just repeating the same stuff. We need some fresh blood out there!" Sources close to the matter, indicated that leaks were being set up for personal information about the companies founders to "put a face" on the object of the vitriol, and to drive and develop Microsoft's interests at Slashdot through the coming years.

    When asked for comment, Slashdot posters likened the news to an extension of Microsoft's embrace-and-extend methodology that the company applies to product development. "We won't be duped by this one, we can't let Microsoft to develop a monopoly on sarcastic and derisive commentary." Other posters used lots of exclamation points and mixed caps, and thus were excluded from this press release.

    (It's a joke guys, I'm not intending this as flamebait ;-)

  3. Re:flamebate? by AWhiteFlame · · Score: 5, Funny

    > I am about as pro-Microsoft as you get on Slashdot.
    Wow, you must really hate Microsoft.

    --
    "Everything worth innovating today will go to court tomorrow."
  4. Re:Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation? by The+Bungi · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hitler called. Says Godwin wants his hyperbolic, I've-lost-all-sense-of-measure argument back in time for some African warlord's trial for genocide at the Hague. Unless you're busy using it on Slashdot.

  5. Re:Question for someone knowledgable by Kris+Warkentin · · Score: 5, Funny

    640,000 shares ought to be enough for anyone....

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    In Soviet Russia, hot grits put YOU down THEIR pants.
  6. Re:Gates gave us opensource. by drsmithy · · Score: 5, Funny
    Six or eight years ago, Mac OS 8.5 was clearly superior to Windows. The desktop was more intuitive, more responsive, crashed less, and had far fewer security problems.

    I think you've got your pink glasses on there, mate.