Paul G. Allen

Paul G. Allen. Well, who’s he? An American computer programmer who, with Bill Gates, founded Microsoft in 1975. Helped nurture that company from its humble beginnings. Now’s he’s definitely reaping the fruits of his labor. Allen is on the list of the world’s fabled rich. Forbes has ranked him the 42nd richest man (as of February 11, 2008), being worth an estimated $16 billion.

Paul Gardner Allen was born on January 21, 1953, in Seattle, Washington, USA, to parents Kenneth S. Allen and Faye G. Allen. His father was an associate director of the University of Washington libraries. Paul attended Lakeside School, a private school in Seattle, and befriended Bill Gates, who with him shared a common enthusiasm for computers. For a start they used Lakeside School’s teletype terminal to hone their programming skills. After graduation Allen attended Washington State University, dropping out after two years in order to work as a programmer for Boston’s Honeywell. It is said that it was Allen who convinced Gates to drop out of Harvard University in order to create Microsoft.

You’ll hear about Paul Allen today vacationing in style on Hvar, in the Adriatic sea, off the Dalmatian coast, Croatia, aboard his super-yacht The Octopus. The fabled rich and his fabled yacht. The Octopus, 126.18 meters long, in 2003 was the world's largest. Built at the cost of $250 million, it was the priciest yacht ever. It has two helipads for its two helicopters, a movie theatre, and a studio capable of professional level recording production. Because of her very huge size, Octopus cannot dock at most ports, but she has a 60 foot tender to service her. And inside Octopus, there are seven other smaller boats. It also carries a fuel-cell-powered 10-person submarine capable of staying submerged for two weeks.

The Octopus requires a crew of 60 to operate her. First launched in 2003, this super yacht has been seen in Portugal, St. Martin, and New Orleans. She was designed by Espen Øino Naval Architects.

Allen also owns the Tatoosh, his second yacht, the 12th largest in the world, which tours Galapagos, Palau and New Zealand; a third yacht slightly smaller than Tatoosh, named The Méduse, the 65th largest in the world; and two Boeing 757s.

Seven years after they had founded Microsoft, Allen was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, a form of cancer. During those radiation treatments that lasted a year and ten months, Allen continued to work part-time at Microsoft. In March 1983 he retired from the company, bought a number of yachts and two Boeing 757s and spent the next two years traveling, scuba diving, yachting, skiing and spending time with his family. "To be 30 years old and have that kind of shock - to face your mortality - really makes you feel like you should do some of the things that you haven't done," he told Fortune. Having retained a 13 percent share of the company, he continued to serve on Microsoft's board.

Thought for Today: "There is great gain in godliness with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world; but if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs... But as for the rich in this world, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches but on God who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good deeds, liberal and generous, thus laying up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life which is life indeed" (1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19).