TechByter Worldwide 2017-02-19: Hey, Cortana, Give Me a Little Help Here; Looking for Help in All the Wrong Places; Short Circuits; and Spare Parts.

Have you asked Cortana for help? After more than a year of ignoring her, I'm trying to decide if I want to keep her on full time. Sometimes a Google search for help with hardware, software, or a service can lead to more trouble. In Short Circuits: Microsoft's annoying messages that badmouth browsers other than Edge can be stopped, but only with a large hammer. The German city that led the way toward adopting open-source software now plans to return to Microsoft applications. In Spare Parts (only on the website): According to Ars Technica: Malware comes to Macs, thanks to the same Russian hackers who meddled in the US presidential election and if you can spare a little blood, a company says it can make recommendations that might improve your health.