Gates' relationship with Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, has also generated controversy. Allen, diagnosed with cancer, resigned from the company in 1983. Instead of support, Gates and other Microsoft executives criticized his productivity. Allen, in a Vanity Fair article, recounted how he burst into a meeting to express his frustration. In addition, Allen denounced an unfair financial distribution of the partnership, with Gates obtaining a larger share.
Gates apologized to Allen in a six-page letter, but this did not get Allen back to the company. This episode reveals a lesser-known side of Gates, questioning his treatment of his partners and employees.