By Thursday, when the auction ended, the magazines sold for $4,410 — only $4,409.25 more than the 75-cent cover price Allen presumably paid for a single famous issue in 1975.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in 1975. The software company quickly expanded and grew enormous wealth, making Gates a billionaire at 31 years old.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in 1975. The software company quickly expanded and grew enormous wealth, making Gates a billionaire at 31 years old.

You can now bid on historic computers owned by late Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen. The online auction of Allen’s collection starts Friday and lasts through Sept. 12.

Fifty years ago, on April 4, 1975, Bill Gates and the late Paul Allen founded Microsoft. A half century later, it’s one of the world’s most valuable companies. And even though it’s based in ...

Paul Allen’s personal Compaq portable 286 microcomputer including a Microsoft mouse is among items included in the online sale, “Firsts: The History of Computing,” which opens Aug. 23.

How Microsoft made it through 50 years. The model built by Bill Gates and Paul Allen remains decades later. What’s changed is how Microsoft responds to a flop.

By Thursday, when the auction ended, the magazines sold for $4,410 — only $4,409.25 more than the 75-cent cover price Allen presumably paid for a single famous issue in 1975.