5 ms·

I adored the Living Computers Museum. Being able to just sit down and use an Apple 1, Xerox Alto, Altair 8800, and so many more in the same place was incredible

I adored the Living Computers Museum. Being able to just sit down and use an Apple 1, Xerox Alto, Altair 8800, and so many more in the same place was incredible. And then, a friendly museum employee being there to show you how to use it, tell you about what made it unique, etc. was even better. It was so much better than most look-but-don’t-touch museums. It’s really a travesty that Paul Allen’s sister seems bent on dismantling everything he left behind.

sterlind 2y ago
why is she doing this? for the money, or out of some form of spite?
- eschaton 2y ago
  Money and an absolute disinterest in anything Paul cared about.
  - rbanffy 2y ago
    This is not just disinterest. It feels like active contempt.
    - eschaton 2y ago
      I think she doesn’t care about it enough to hold it in contempt except insofar as it represents an asset of Paul’s that hasn’t been converted into money.
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]
- longdustytrail 2y ago
  The same thing happened to another one of Paul’s wacky passion projects, the Cinerama theater. That ended up being taken over by the Seattle Film Festival after being shut down for a few years. My impression is that Paul died somewhat suddenly and simply didn’t make arrangements to keep these things going. His sister is not interested in them so she’s winding them down. It’s too bad he didn’t set up some kind of endowment before he passed. Maybe he didn’t want to or maybe he just didn’t get around to it. I wonder what will happen to MoPop/EMP. AFAIK that’s always been a financial black hole.
  - zimm 2y ago
    https://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Bodyguards-Vulcan-CEO-Allen-tried-to-smuggle-4317395.php https://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Bodyguards-Vulcan-CE... It doesn't seem like she was the nicest person.
    - vintermann 2y ago
      That's geoblocked.
      - dn3500 2y ago
        Strange, I'm in Mexico and if anyone gets blocked it's usually me. But I can read this one. Anyway here you go: https://archive.ph/ru5Jm https://archive.ph/ru5Jm
        usr1106 2y ago
        Many US newspapers block users from the EU because they fear GDPR. Not sure why newspapers are "leading" on that front. All the tech sites are open.
        wakeneddreamer 2y ago
        The advertising networks and associated trackers on many news sites would not pass gdpr
        usr1106 2y ago
        Sure. But I doubt the tech sites which are mostly open use significantly different ad networks.
  - seanmcdirmid 2y ago
    This is what I wrote earlier on HN when this last came up (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34840654 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34840654): Jodie Allen (his sister and only heir) is just following his instructions, from what I understand. She isn't financially benefiting from shutting down the computer museum, she is just executing his will: > According to multiple reports Paul Allen’s will states that the Paul G. Allen Trust, which contains billions in assets, including the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, will be liquidated upon his death and the assets used to fund his passion projects. Paul Allen died in October 2018 and the Trail Blazers have been rumored to be on the sales block for the past few years, but all’s quiet on the Seahawks front. Is Jody Allen trying to hold onto the Seahawks against her brother’s wishes? https://theshadowleague.com/the-instructions-are-clear-the-sports-franchises-and-everything-in-the-trust-must-be-sold-jody-allen-is-legally-bound-to-sell-seahawks-and-trail-blazers-will-she/ https://theshadowleague.com/the-instructions-are-clear-the-s... The problem is, a lot of projects didn't make it into his list of passion projects. More: > Sealed lips aside, here’s what we know: In 2010, Allen pledged to bequeath the majority of his wealth to philanthropy. (During his lifetime, Allen gave away more than $2 billion, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy.) Tasked with this mammoth undertaking is his sister Jody Allen, trustee and executor of his estate, who is bound by her brother’s wishes as set out in the trust. https://crosscut.com/culture/2022/11/16b-sale-paul-allens-art-collection-looms-over-seattle https://crosscut.com/culture/2022/11/16b-sale-paul-allens-ar... One can accuse his sister of not following his instructions, I guess, but unless we know what those instructions are, it isn't a very easy accusation to back up.
- indrora 2y ago
  It's assassination at one fundamental level. Spite is one way to put it. She has no love for anything computers, technology, or otherwise.
- TMWNN 2y ago
  I doubt she hates her late brother, any more than any widow who sells off or throws away her late husband's computer collection after his death (which occurs so, so often that it is probably the normal outcome after the collector's death, as opposed to an exception) hates him. It's disinterest.
  - ghaff 2y ago
    People get rid of most of the stuff that they inherit, even if it's a "collection" that the relative cared a lot about--especially if it's worth a significant amount of money.
    - pbhjpbhj 2y ago
      I asked my dad to keep a collection of books for me, about 1.4m x 60cm of bookshelf. They were booked from my mum's family some dating from late 1800s. "They weren't worth anything, I gave them away" ... of course I'm probably the only person to whom they were really worth much. My mum and I shared a love of poetry at one time ...
      - qludes 2y ago
        The sad thing about book collections is that they're not worth buying for book antiquities because chances are that most won't sell at all and the few games might just be worth a few $ so most just end up in the recycling bin once the owner dies. On the other hand that means if you're willing to buy whole shelves filled with books that haven't been preaccessed they can be incredibly cheap.
        vundercind 2y ago
        This, not buying armfuls of books off individual sellers, is how used book stores get much of their stock. Running a good one (not just full of shitloads of Stephen King and Nora Roberts) means going to lots of estate sales. Also, a lot there for a while but less now that they’re almost all gone, being there with cash in hand to buy the remaining stock in bulk when a competitor/colleague goes out of business. Sometimes in a good used book store you can spot substantial remnants of some particular enthusiast’s collection, like a whole bunch of German-language original 19th century scholarship on the history of the conquest of South America or whatever. Some improbable number of books on some niche topic, nearly all of which probably belonged to one person (or, sometimes, institution) before landing there.
- themadturk 2y ago
  The official story, at least, is that his will dictates his former holdings be sold off and the proceeds donated to charity. So it sounds like she's doing her duty as executor of his estate. Similar questions have lingered for years over what will become of the Seahawks and the Trailblazers.
- magnawave 2y ago
  The best I can tell from talking with insiders at a couple of his properties, is that he did a beyond bad job at “succession planning”. The light exception being MoPOP of course but that’s a different beast. So without setting up foundations/entities to fund/run your projects and getting people aligned before you pass, odds are your estate won’t. So want to blame the family. But really Paul Allen’s fault here. It’s a shame, was such a great museum.
  - qingcharles 2y ago
    It's crazy that Bill wouldn't step in and solve this problem. This place is a rounding error on his checking account.
    - deleted 2y ago
      [deleted]
    - 93po 2y ago
      I would guess that there's also family politics at play and I can't imagine anyone wanting to get involved with that.
      - qingcharles 2y ago
        It sounds like all his family want is cashdollars, so they might put on their Sunday suits and play nicey-nicey if Bill showed an interest?
imperfect_light 2y ago
The dude was sick on and off for years, could have had an army of lawyers setting up these places to continue after him, and didn't bother. Don't blame his sister who was left this mess.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
cchi_co 2y ago
[dead]

sterlind 2y ago

why is she doing this? for the money, or out of some form of spite?

eschaton 2y ago
Money and an absolute disinterest in anything Paul cared about.
- rbanffy 2y ago
  This is not just disinterest. It feels like active contempt.
  - eschaton 2y ago
    I think she doesn’t care about it enough to hold it in contempt except insofar as it represents an asset of Paul’s that hasn’t been converted into money.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
longdustytrail 2y ago
The same thing happened to another one of Paul’s wacky passion projects, the Cinerama theater. That ended up being taken over by the Seattle Film Festival after being shut down for a few years. My impression is that Paul died somewhat suddenly and simply didn’t make arrangements to keep these things going. His sister is not interested in them so she’s winding them down. It’s too bad he didn’t set up some kind of endowment before he passed. Maybe he didn’t want to or maybe he just didn’t get around to it. I wonder what will happen to MoPop/EMP. AFAIK that’s always been a financial black hole.
- zimm 2y ago
  https://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Bodyguards-Vulcan-CEO-Allen-tried-to-smuggle-4317395.php https://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Bodyguards-Vulcan-CE... It doesn't seem like she was the nicest person.
  - vintermann 2y ago
    That's geoblocked.
    - dn3500 2y ago
      Strange, I'm in Mexico and if anyone gets blocked it's usually me. But I can read this one. Anyway here you go: https://archive.ph/ru5Jm https://archive.ph/ru5Jm
      - usr1106 2y ago
        Many US newspapers block users from the EU because they fear GDPR. Not sure why newspapers are "leading" on that front. All the tech sites are open.
        wakeneddreamer 2y ago
        The advertising networks and associated trackers on many news sites would not pass gdpr
        usr1106 2y ago
        Sure. But I doubt the tech sites which are mostly open use significantly different ad networks.
- seanmcdirmid 2y ago
  This is what I wrote earlier on HN when this last came up (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34840654 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34840654): Jodie Allen (his sister and only heir) is just following his instructions, from what I understand. She isn't financially benefiting from shutting down the computer museum, she is just executing his will: > According to multiple reports Paul Allen’s will states that the Paul G. Allen Trust, which contains billions in assets, including the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, will be liquidated upon his death and the assets used to fund his passion projects. Paul Allen died in October 2018 and the Trail Blazers have been rumored to be on the sales block for the past few years, but all’s quiet on the Seahawks front. Is Jody Allen trying to hold onto the Seahawks against her brother’s wishes? https://theshadowleague.com/the-instructions-are-clear-the-sports-franchises-and-everything-in-the-trust-must-be-sold-jody-allen-is-legally-bound-to-sell-seahawks-and-trail-blazers-will-she/ https://theshadowleague.com/the-instructions-are-clear-the-s... The problem is, a lot of projects didn't make it into his list of passion projects. More: > Sealed lips aside, here’s what we know: In 2010, Allen pledged to bequeath the majority of his wealth to philanthropy. (During his lifetime, Allen gave away more than $2 billion, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy.) Tasked with this mammoth undertaking is his sister Jody Allen, trustee and executor of his estate, who is bound by her brother’s wishes as set out in the trust. https://crosscut.com/culture/2022/11/16b-sale-paul-allens-art-collection-looms-over-seattle https://crosscut.com/culture/2022/11/16b-sale-paul-allens-ar... One can accuse his sister of not following his instructions, I guess, but unless we know what those instructions are, it isn't a very easy accusation to back up.
indrora 2y ago
It's assassination at one fundamental level. Spite is one way to put it. She has no love for anything computers, technology, or otherwise.
TMWNN 2y ago
I doubt she hates her late brother, any more than any widow who sells off or throws away her late husband's computer collection after his death (which occurs so, so often that it is probably the normal outcome after the collector's death, as opposed to an exception) hates him. It's disinterest.
- ghaff 2y ago
  People get rid of most of the stuff that they inherit, even if it's a "collection" that the relative cared a lot about--especially if it's worth a significant amount of money.
  - pbhjpbhj 2y ago
    I asked my dad to keep a collection of books for me, about 1.4m x 60cm of bookshelf. They were booked from my mum's family some dating from late 1800s. "They weren't worth anything, I gave them away" ... of course I'm probably the only person to whom they were really worth much. My mum and I shared a love of poetry at one time ...
    - qludes 2y ago
      The sad thing about book collections is that they're not worth buying for book antiquities because chances are that most won't sell at all and the few games might just be worth a few $ so most just end up in the recycling bin once the owner dies. On the other hand that means if you're willing to buy whole shelves filled with books that haven't been preaccessed they can be incredibly cheap.
      - vundercind 2y ago
        This, not buying armfuls of books off individual sellers, is how used book stores get much of their stock. Running a good one (not just full of shitloads of Stephen King and Nora Roberts) means going to lots of estate sales. Also, a lot there for a while but less now that they’re almost all gone, being there with cash in hand to buy the remaining stock in bulk when a competitor/colleague goes out of business. Sometimes in a good used book store you can spot substantial remnants of some particular enthusiast’s collection, like a whole bunch of German-language original 19th century scholarship on the history of the conquest of South America or whatever. Some improbable number of books on some niche topic, nearly all of which probably belonged to one person (or, sometimes, institution) before landing there.
themadturk 2y ago
The official story, at least, is that his will dictates his former holdings be sold off and the proceeds donated to charity. So it sounds like she's doing her duty as executor of his estate. Similar questions have lingered for years over what will become of the Seahawks and the Trailblazers.
magnawave 2y ago
The best I can tell from talking with insiders at a couple of his properties, is that he did a beyond bad job at “succession planning”. The light exception being MoPOP of course but that’s a different beast. So without setting up foundations/entities to fund/run your projects and getting people aligned before you pass, odds are your estate won’t. So want to blame the family. But really Paul Allen’s fault here. It’s a shame, was such a great museum.
- qingcharles 2y ago
  It's crazy that Bill wouldn't step in and solve this problem. This place is a rounding error on his checking account.
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]
  - 93po 2y ago
    I would guess that there's also family politics at play and I can't imagine anyone wanting to get involved with that.
    - qingcharles 2y ago
      It sounds like all his family want is cashdollars, so they might put on their Sunday suits and play nicey-nicey if Bill showed an interest?

imperfect_light 2y ago

The dude was sick on and off for years, could have had an army of lawyers setting up these places to continue after him, and didn't bother. Don't blame his sister who was left this mess.

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]

cchi_co 2y ago

[dead]