got windows 10 for free from my university and it sucks. I switched back to 8.1 and not going back to 10 every again.

Isn't Windows 10 free anyway? Or is it just the upgrade?

When I was a kid, I read some books from a then popular Soviet Sci-Fi series. In one book, the main protagonist travelled 100 years into the future. It was a utopian, Communist future where money was abolished, everything was free and people worked because they enjoyed it.

Our protagonist came across some strange machines in the street of the future city that turned out to be ice cream vending machines. Of course free. She tried an ice cream and liked it. She tried another flavour, then another... And after three, the machine refused to give her another one because it was not healthy. And of course, all machines were linked so that was it with ice cream for the day.

It was meant to be a good thing. Machines looking after you etc. But I remember thinking, as a 12 or 13 kid, how horrible. A machine deciding what is good for me, how lucky I am to not have been born 100 years later. Turns out I was too hasty.

Whilst the reminder capability is new, Cortana has been scanning your email (unless of course you disabled it) since W10 was released; it is how it manages flight tracking and package delivery info.

The damned Google Now started this "data scanning and prediction" thing

Disagree. It's been around longer than many people would rather admit and was seen as convenient by the masses with little to no concern over their privacy.

To my knowledge (and my use) before Google Now, BlackBerry Travel used to take note of any travel plans you had in email(s) and would set up your calendar to accommodate such things as your itinerary and making your calendar show you as busy during travel, whatnot. Key difference... it could be turned off.

My biggest complaint - this stuff that many consumers found convenient is just now starting to encroach other savvy people's daily operations. Folks weren't just paying enough attention it seems.

Totally Off-Topic, sorry, please don't reply to me:
Whoa, i've read one or two of those and have never heard of anyone mentioning them (except for my ex who introduced me to them), thanks. They are pretty good for anyone who likes "classic sci fi" and childrens stories.

@ pichlo, velox...
I remem. reading Alisa!

Key difference from what? Google Now? Cortana's peeking at your email can be turned off

AFAIK the service continues. You're simply dismissing the notices.

That's not my understanding.