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Idea Man: A Memoir by the Cofounder of Microsoft by [Paul Allen]

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Paul Allen

Idea Man: A Memoir by the Cofounder of Microsoft Kindle Edition

by Paul Allen (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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By his early thirties, Paul Allen was a world-famous billionaire-and that was just the beginning.

In 2007 and 2008, Time named Paul Allen, the cofounder of Microsoft, one of the hundred most influential people in the world. Since he made his fortune, his impact has been felt in science, technology, business, medicine, sports, music, and philanthropy. His passion, curiosity, and intellectual rigor-combined with the resources to launch and support new initiatives-have literally changed the world.

In 2009 Allen discovered that he had lymphoma, lending urgency to his desire to share his story for the first time. In this classic memoir, Allen explains how he has solved problems, what he's learned from his many endeavors-both the triumphs and the failures-and his compelling vision for the future. He reflects candidly on an extraordinary life.

The book also features previously untold stories about everything from the true origins of Microsoft to Allen's role in the dawn of private space travel (with SpaceShipOne) and in discoveries at the frontiers of brain science. With honesty, humor, and insight, Allen tells the story of a life of ideas made real.

Length: 368 pages	Word Wise: Enabled	Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Highly readable, refreshingly honest * Mail on Sunday * A fascinating tale of the early days of the software industry * Financial Times * A founding father of the modern information age . . . provides a fascinating insight into the ironies of capitalism * The Times * He, and a tiny club of others, literally invented the twenty-first century -- Bono Riveting reading * Observer * --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author

Paul Allen was the billionaire technologist and philanthropist who cofounded Microsoft with Bill Gates. He was the chairman of Vulcan Inc. and founder of the Allen Institute for Brain Science. He owned the Seattle Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers, and was co-owner of the Seattle Sounders pro soccer team. He passed away in October 2018.

Visit www.paulallen.com

--This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

ASIN : B004CLYKM2
Publisher : Portfolio (April 19, 2011)
Publication date : April 19, 2011
Language: : English
File size : 7188 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 368 pages
Lending : Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #520,981 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #426 in Biographies of Scientists
- #497 in Startups
- #577 in Biographies of Business Professionals

Customer Reviews:
249 ratings

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Mike Cataldo

Neither as bad as expected nor as good as hoped

Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2016

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The memoir of Paul Allen is interesting. Not necessarily historic or even well researched. It has quite a bit of repetition. In some ways it is a schizophrenic look at a man who made a lot of money, spent a lot of money and had poor advice along the way. In reading it there were times where I wondered if I was reading a book about a brilliant engineer or a kid who found twenty dollars outside a candy store. One moment he would praise his relationship with Bill Gates and the next minute damn it with faint praise. I liked some of the historical data and I felt the warmth at some of his philanthropic donations, but the book left me underwhelmed with it as a history.

9 people found this helpful

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Auburn Software

A super interesting man

Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2015

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Super insight into so many aspects of this interesting man and the things he has been involved in up to the time of the writing. Paul Allen is underrated I think - big time - a brilliant man and so many little tidbits in the book illustrate it. No question Gates is smart too, but this really gives some insight into Paul Allen and the significance of him in Microsoft's development.

I don't think people realize the other things he is doing - his brain project for instance - these are things that could and are having tremendous impact on humanity.

I came away with not only good insight, but certainly food for thought about much larger things. For one - when you read about the education he and Gates were getting in high school and junior high - it pales to mine and probably most others. I think it shows how the 'right' education, early enough, is really important.

8 people found this helpful

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no name

This book gives you a more complete understanding of the early days of Microsoft

Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2020

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Very interesting book - gives you a more complete understanding of the early days of Microsoft. Paul Allen is often forgotten - all of the attention is given to Bill Gates. You only get part of the picture if you leave out Allen's story.

I am reminded of Apple, which was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Wozniak was the engineer, and Jobs was the salesman. Without both of them, there never would have been an Apple Corporation. If you want Woz's story, read his book "iWoz".

Helpful

Well worth reading; first half better than 2nd half.

Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2011

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This book details Paul Allen's story on the beginning of Microsoft and his relationship with Bill Gates. The 2nd half of the book deals with his sport teams (TrailBlazers and Seahawks), space planes, investments, life as a wealthy mogul, and recent events.

Contrary to the press reports, this book draws a neutral portrait of Bill Gates. He is both highly praised and criticized. The book truly delivers an unvarnished view of Bill Gates and the beginnings of Microsoft. If you are into tech-history, this book should not be missed.

I think the title "Idea Man" is spot-on. Paul is the founding Visionary of Microsoft. He had the world-changing ideas and inspirations. But it was mostly Bill Gates who sorted them out and drove Paul Allen and rest of Microsoft's employees to execute those ideas into a reality. It is important to note that game changing ideas at Microsoft were somewhat lacking after Paul Allen left Microsoft. Instead, Microsoft became more like Bill Gates, an entity that is ruthless, sucessful, and technically brilliant. Yet, Microsoft lacked a vision and played mostly catchup to other visionary companies and ideas (Netscape, Apple, smartPhones, tablets, game consoles etc). I am convinced that Microsoft may have been a different and a more visionary company if Paul Allen had stayed.

I have also read the two books written by Bill Gates. In both books, Bill Gates gives strong endorsement and credit to Paul Allen for the co-founding of Microsoft. The two men have known each other for over 40 years and grew up together. The bond between the two seems very deep.

Pros:
1)This book is written in an extremely fluid style. I am not sure if Paul hired a ghostwriter, but if the book was mostly first-hand written, then I am impressed.
2)Paul Allen provides details on his days with Bill Gates at Lakeside school, Harvard, and Microsoft. When Paul Allen asked Bill Gates how large their software company could be, Bill replied "about 35 employees" and Paul Allen thought that was little ambitious.
3)The story of the founding and the early days of Microsoft was very engaging. It kept me up until 4am reading this book.

Cons:
1)Where is the sage advice? What would have Paul Allen done differently? He takes a passive retroactive account of his past, and does not delve too much into the lessons he has learned from them.
2)Where is the analysis of the past, the current, and the future state of technology? I am especially interested on Paul Allen's take on technology's future 10-20 years down the road.
3)This book is missing huge parts of Paul Allen's life. Paul Allen writes mostly about his relationship with his parents and Bill Gates. I don't think one could categorize this book as a complete autobiography.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. This book is not written as a completely autobiography. Yet, it provides rich details on many things people would find interesting and engaging.

99 people found this helpful

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Edster

Quick read and insightful

Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2011

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I enjoyed reading this book. You get to see the curiosity, the searching, the dreamer, and the risk taker that he is. We all know parts of the Microsoft story but to hear his take on it is interesting. You see some similarities between Paul Allen and Steve Wozniak of Apple both being tech guys that want to be know for their ideas and solving problems. Both end up on the outs with the company they help found but wealthy enough not to complain or work again. They invest their millions into some things that are successful and some passion projects that loose money. With Steve it was music festivals and with Paul it was professional sports teams where they took some losses but had fun. I found this book interesting because the more I read it I found Paul interesting. If he thinks something can be done or believes in someone else, then he'll chase it or fund it, or help with it, and help it become a success. Here's a guy that's been involved in so many things over the years that pushed what was possible. He picked great projects to get involved in. Even now, he writes about current trends and where he thinks things are going, you know he's still mulling over what else is possible. I think he's still itching a little to accomplish something else in the next 10 years, and if so, we could see a second edition on this book years from now with added chapters...

Very, very cool book and worth reading...

4 people found this helpful

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crocodile200

An interesting book based on a very interesting subject

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 4, 2020

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An interesting book based on a very interesting subject. Paul Allen comes across as a good person with a need to explore technical innovation and a diverse array of interests / Contributions of society. The start of the book focuses on his early life, formation of Microsoft and Friendship with Bill Gates. How a shared obsessive hobby turned into a world shaping company. It also provides a snapshot of the advert of personal computer technology and the environment that it flourished in (The best bit). There is some insight into his symbiotic and shifting friendship with Bill Gates. The ultimate impression I got on that was how much they seemed to be a positive influence on each other. About two thirds of the book covers Allen’s time in Microsoft with the rest being devoted to hobbies and other business / philanthropic interests. I enjoyed the chapter on Jimi Hendrix and the creation of the EMP museum / AI and Neuroscience.
One point stood out to me during the Covid lockdown as I write. He writes about the construction of the Paul G Allen school for Global Animal Health with an important part of the school’s mission to build up Africa’s capabilities in responding to animal based diseases. Now that’s vision. Anyway it’s things like that make this book a very worthwhile read.
Incidentally Bill Gates did a TED talk about how unprepared the world is for an animal based decease a few years ago.

"richard26260"

Essential reading if you're into the history of computing, but fades after half way...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2018

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I was a young teenager in the early 1980s and grew up through the micro revolution. In the 90s I started programming Windows Desktop Applications and have been doing so ever since.

So for me, this book was mainly of interest because of Paul Allen's involvement in the early days of the personal computer.

The first few obligatory chapters about early years and parents were Ok reading, but when it got to his first encounters with Bill was where the book became fascinating. The next 8 or 9 chapters about the formation and success of Microsoft were literally thrilling reading, I could hardly put the book down.

However after Paul left Microsoft the story (for me) trails off. You go from reading about inside information about Microsoft, IBM, Xerox et. al. to an entire chapter about Basketball which bored me to tears. Then there's an entire chapter about American football which I largely skipped. There are a few interesting chapters after that about the X-Prize (I learned a lot of stuff from that), and there's a few chapters about Paul's failed efforts to get into the internet business.

So overall - 4 stars because the Microsoft years were absolutely enthralling. But the rest of it just felt like the ramblings of an unsatisfied multi-billionnaire. I'd have preferred a whole book about the softwar side of Paul and the Microsoft story in more depth.

2 people found this helpful

Jim 8888

Lend me Ten Pounds and I'll Buy You a Drink

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2012

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Paul Allen. Nice bloke, really. Maybe a bit of an accidental billionaire, but it's hard to grudge him the cash. He pretty much changed the world, after all, even if he was, as he admits, merely standing and building on the shoulders of giants. Money isn't everything though, and this is another of those life stories where the music of Neil Sedaka plays in the background as a soundtrack: "I miss the hungry years, we never had a dime...."
I think you'll have to be a bit of a geek to be really gripped by the first half of this book as Allen and Gates struggle to code Microsoft to the top. The key watersheds in the history of the company are written about slightly dispassionately and you are given a flavour of the necessary ruthlessness that permeated the computer industry and obviously still does. Stuck for a good idea? Then go and steal one of your competitors'. (The current patent wars in technology are an indicator that copying is not a form of flattery.) Allen writes almost reluctantly, I felt, about his partner in crime, Bill Gates, and the picture painted isn't one that adds much warmth to one of the world's richest men. Allen, being the nice guy he seems to be, holds back about how he felt Gates stiffed him, dissed him and finally ignored him as Microsoft steamed towards world domination. The final assessment of Microsoft losing out to Apple, Google and the rest seem tinged with an element of glee. But it was Allen's baby too, so the affection is still there.
Halfway through the book and Allen is through with Microsoft, which somewhat surprised me. Was that it? Now as rich as Croesus, what should Allen do with his burgeoning cash pile? He likes basketball, so why not buy a team? And a football team. Build them a half billion dollar stadium on top, to play in. He could have become the ultimate sports mogul, but he's involved in every other project and distraction that comes his way. While Donald Trump wrote The Art of the Deal, Allen works hard on what seems to be the Fart of the Deal, and gamely recounts some of the exceedingly smelly and disastrous investments he made during the Internet years. One bad deal alone cost him $8 billion, while he admits in print that selling too quickly out of AOL cost him $40 billion. It must have been hard writing that sentence.
Allen lives in a different financial stratosphere to everyone except about a handful of individuals on the planet. He splurges cash everywhere. He sees his childhood cinema going to the dogs, so he just buys it and does it up. He liked Hendrix as a youth, so he basically buys everything from guitars to underpants that the man owned and then builds a museum to house them in. He builds a rocket to the moon. After a while, you really begin to think that Gates' philanthropy is an infinitely better deal. Eventually, and maybe inevitably, we get to his charitable work, but he skims over it really, in the same way he does with his battles with his health. The book leaves you with the feeling that Allen knows the clock is ticking and that he has so much to do. His wealth affords him boundless opportunities but, if you haven't got your health....
This was a very readable autobiography, a book of two halves maybe, but it always kept my interest.

5 people found this helpful

Paul

Should have been an absolutely compelling read and it isn't

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 11, 2011

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There are a number of fascinating stories that Paul Allen could have told. He could write a whole book on the acquisition, development and delivery of MS/DOS to IBM and then to other PC makers. Paul Allen devotes only a couple of pages to this topic - indeed just enough to support his claim that it was his idea to use Tom Patterson's 86-DOS after Jack Sams, an IBM employee suggested to Microsoft that they supply an OS. It seems that at the beginning, neither Sams, Gates nor Allen really appreciated the value of owning and controlling the operating system.

Allen also claims to be the idea man behind MS Windows having seen the original Xerox Star computer with its GUI bitmapped display at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. The development of MS Windows, the rivalry with Apple, the development of the MAC and then the MS Windows versions of Word and Excel would be another fascinating story. All we are told is that Allen was instrumental in the hiring of Charles Simonyi from Xerox - their expert in WYSIWYG word processor.

There is a great deal of detail about the £8 billion invested in Cable networks that Allen wrote off, but the reader is still left wondering how and why this all happened. Even for Allen $8B is quite a big chunk of cash.

I was originally going to give this book 3 stars, because it could, indeed should, have been an absolutely compelling read and it isn't. Nevertheless, Allen does relate snippets of the history of the Personal Computer Industry that are interesting enough to justify 5 stars at a pinch.

Note to Publisher: The table of contents in my edition says the index appears on page 347. There is no page 347 and there is no index which is a pity.

6 people found this helpful

David Bradshaw

A mix of the fascinating and indulgent

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 26, 2011

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Most people will probably read this book because they are interested in the early years of Microsoft, and that is certainly well covered in the book. It's a warts-and-all account which is not entirely flattering for Bill Gates. This section of the book was fascinating, and if you're involved in the IT industry you should probably buy and read the book just for this.

However, the book also documents Allen's time after Microsoft, when he has lived the billionaire's lifestyle - travelling to far-away places, buying a super-yacht and sports teams (pity he hasn't yet bought Man United off the Glaziers...), setting up a museum and playing guitar with the rock stars. But he's also also recovered twice from cancer, and he's contributed strongly to the human genome project. I nearly didn't bother with this section of the book, and I glad that I did because some of it is worthwhile and fascinating, though other parts are a little more than nauseating - or maybe I'm just jealous of such opulent wealth.

2 people found this helpful

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