Billsville, Pt. 1

By Melissa August, Ann Marie Bonardi, Val Castronovo, Matthew Cooper, Daren Fonda, Benjamin Nugent, Julie Rawe, Victoria Rainert

SMASHING MICROSOFT The heyday of Microsoft (1995) was also the heyday of the Smashing Pumpkins. Now they're both on the train to splitsville. A tale of two Bills:

BILL GATES

Chairman and co-founder of Microsoft

Allegedly squelched innovation and competition with Internet monopoly

Philosophy: "Simple is difficult."

Great hair

BILLY CORGAN

Frontman and co-founder of Smashing Pumpkins

Allegedly squelched innovation by playing most of the tracks on first album, Gish, himself

Philosophy: "In my world, the end is always near."

Great hair