Microsoft and GM Engage in a Battle of Wits

At a recent conference, Bill Gates extolled the breathtaking innovation of the computer industry to the auto industry by saying, "If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25 cars that got 1,000 miles per gallon."

Whoops. Be careful whom you pick on Mr. Smarty Pants.

General Motors quickly issued a release, responding, "Yes, but would you want your car to crash twice a day?"

Consider the possibilities if Microsoft could transplant its dominance and speed to market to the stodgy automotive industry. Here's WAW's List of Top 5 Reasons why that might not be so wonderful.

Every time they repainted the lines on the road you would have to buy a new car.

Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason, and you would just accept this, restart the engine and drive on.

While turning on the radio, adjusting your seat or performing other simple operations while driving, your transmission would switch to neutral. For some strange reason, you also would accept this, shut off your engine, restart your car and then drive on.

You could only have one person in the car at a time, unless you bought "Car95" or "CarNT." But, then you would have to buy more seats.

The air bag system would ask "are you sure?" before going off.