I don't really care about the perennial Mac versus PC rivalry — I get the vast majority of my work done in the web browser, so my only criteria is whatever helps me get more work done, faster.
In early 2008, I got my first MacBook, moving off of my desktop Windows XP computer. There was definitely a learning curve, but I came to rely on the MacBook for its speed, simplicity, and stability.
I ended up skipping Windows Vista, 7, and 8 entirely. But when Microsoft rolled around with Windows 10, I decided to see what I had been missing. And I was very impressed. Touchscreens! Stylus input! Nifty new ways to manage my open windows!
One of the things I like most about Windows 10 is Cortana, Microsoft's personal digital assistant. She's always sitting in the corner of the screen, ready to present all the stuff I need to know at a click.
So when I found out that Apple's Siri was coming to the new MacOS Sierra operating system, I was really excited. Maybe, just maybe, the stuff I liked so much about Windows 10 was starting to come back to the Mac.
I couldn't have been more wrong. While Siri is definitely available, and can do some nifty things like send e-mails or search for photos...
...I still don't find her that useful. See, you have to call Siri up with an icon and ask her a specific question before she can do anything for you.
Compare this with Microsoft's Cortana. Just clicking on her gets me the information I need to know — usually, the weather and the location of my next meeting. But she can also search the web or even remember specific things for me if I only ask.
(Here, I had previously asked Cortana to remember the nuclear launch codes. You can use that for frequent flyer numbers, scratchpad math, or anything else, too.)
