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Cortana Now Reminds You To Do the Things You Promised in Emails (theverge.com)

From a report: Microsoft is adding a new feature to Cortana today that will remind you to keep your promises. Suggested reminders lets Cortana remind you when you've promised to do something in an email. Microsoft is using machine learning to highlight phrases in emails where you might promise your boss something, or make a commitment to a friend or family member. The result is a reminder that pops up telling you "don't forget you mentioned this." Cortana's suggested reminders will be available in the US first on Windows 10 PCs, and Microsoft is planning to bring them to iOS and Android in the coming weeks. Microsoft is supporting Outlook.com and Office 365 accounts for these reminders, and other accounts like Gmail will be supported soon. You'll need to connect an Outlook.com or Office 365 account to Cortana to enable the feature, and you'll start receiving reminders once the service detects your promises and commitments.

134 comments

  1. Remind me by Allicorn · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Remind me to disable Cortana

    --
    OMG!!! Ponies!!!
    1. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you win the comments on this story

    2. Re:Remind me by The-Ixian · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It seems like personal assistants are nothing more than intrusive nag machines that want access to every aspect of my life.

      It's bad enough that I have an ongoing battle to get relevant notifications on my device from normal apps.

      The last thing I need is another app nagging me to do stuff. If I promised to do something, I will do it. Which, by the way, is why I rarely promise to do anything...

      --
      My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
    3. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Can you do this anymore?

    4. Re:Remind me by backslashdot · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'm afraid I can't do that Dave..

    5. Re:Remind me by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      Remind me to disable Cortana

      I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I cant do that.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    6. Re:Remind me by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      Damn it! You beat me!

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    7. Re:Remind me by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      Can you do this anymore?

      Not officially.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    8. Re:Remind me by OhSoLaMeow · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It seems like personal assistants are nothing more than intrusive nag machines that want access to every aspect of my life.

      You mean like a wife or girlfriend?

      --
      They can take my LifeAlert pendant when they pry it from my cold dead fingers.
    9. Re:Remind me by Torodung · · Score: 2

      Yes. You can use gpedit or if you have Windows 10 home, you can enter key the template would place in the registry.

      Click here for instructions.

      Scroll down to the heading Does that mean that you cannot turn of Cortana anymore? The instructions for gpedit and registry disable of Cortana are listed below.

    10. Re:Remind me by MightyMartian · · Score: 2

      Never had a real personal assistant then :)

      I've tried out Cortana a few times on the crappy Win10 tablet I got free with my Dell notebook. It mainly just sends me to Bing, so I've largely deemed it useless. I suppose I could use it for scheduling, but I find speaking commands to software to be slower and more error prone than even tapping it out on a touch keyboard that I largely ignore Cortana.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    11. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Cortana doesn't compensate you with sex.

    12. Re:Remind me by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 5, Funny

      Cortana doesn't compensate you with sex.

      Neither does a wife.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    13. Re:Remind me by danomac · · Score: 1

      No kidding. I was just thinking of when people get told "I'll do it later" just to get them out of your face. ;-)

    14. Re:Remind me by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 3, Funny

      Microsoft's AI is not going to open the iPod bay doors for you! You'll have to go to the Surface.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    15. Re:Remind me by blogagog · · Score: 1

      Sure you meant 'spouse or spousefriend'!

    16. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because a woman won't just dump you the second you try nagging her.

    17. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fuck that. How to you remove that shit ?

    18. Re: Remind me by WarJolt · · Score: 2

      Yeah, but at least a wife beaks down and does it herself after nagging for hours. Husbands know how much nagging has to be endured before those dishes wash themselves. If Cortana is so smart, why doesn't she just do it herself.

    19. Re: Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Reminds me of Stogie, the robot cigar in 2000AD's Robo Hunter comic. He'd spend much of the time nagging the main character to cut down on smoking.

    20. Re:Remind me by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 1

      It seems like personal assistants are nothing more than intrusive nag machines that want access to every aspect of my life.

      You can say that again. They started life being pretty much useless. They are now becoming worse than useless.

    21. Re:Remind me by maharvey · · Score: 1

      Coming soon from Microsoft: there's a robot for that.

    22. Re:Remind me by diesalesmandie · · Score: 1

      It seems like personal assistants are nothing more than intrusive nag machines that want access to every aspect of my life.

      You mean like a wife or girlfriend?

      Not every wife or girlfriend, ones like that are called bitches.

      --
      This is my sig, there are many like it but this one is mine
    23. Re: Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Idiot.

    24. Re:Remind me by Z00L00K · · Score: 1

      We already suffer from enough stress in our work. If you don't have time to do what you promised then you will get stressed even more when you get the computer nagging you about it.

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
    25. Re:Remind me by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

      Cortana doesn't compensate you with sex.

      Neither does a wife.

      Well, that's what the girlfriend is for!!!

      ;)

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    26. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And don't forget to check your settings. WIndows Update tends to re-enable that shit, much to my chagrin.

    27. Re:Remind me by diesalesmandie · · Score: 0

      You should be modded down for such a transgression; not only do you acknowledge that someone beat you to the phrase but you repeated it, this isn't reddit dude...THIS! IS! SLASHDOT!

      --
      This is my sig, there are many like it but this one is mine
    28. Re: Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If that were the case all it would say is "Please do the needful."

      Though that would simplify coding quite a bit...

    29. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.

    30. Re:Remind me by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      You should be modded down for such a transgression; not only do you acknowledge that someone beat you to the phrase but you repeated it, this isn't reddit dude...THIS! IS! SLASHDOT!

      I didn't see theirs until I hit refresh and saw it was above me. (my quote is accurate though).

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    31. Re:Remind me by KiloByte · · Score: 2

      Has anyone checked what Cortana does when it detects another personal assistant running?

      --
      The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
    32. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Cortana doesn't compensate you with sex.

      Neither does a wife.

      Exactly! Now remind me why do I need one more of them?

    33. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Open Task Manager, click the Details tab, find the Cortana executable, right click, click Open Location. In the File Explorer window that opens, note the subdirectory Cortana is contained in. Right click on the subdirectory, click Properties, click Security. Edit the Permissions, mark Deny for SYSTEM for the entire folder. Go back to Task Manager, right click Cortana again, click End Task. Windows will attempt at intervals to re-start Cortana and will fail because it no longer is authorized to run it. Congratulations, your computer is now Cortana-free.

    34. Re:Remind me by diesalesmandie · · Score: 1

      Remember this is slashdot, i'm all about logic and reason until: 1) my meds aren't working 2) i've ran out of mountain dew and cheetos 3) someone uses "an order of magnitiude" in an arbitrary way 4) mom is thinking of renting the basement (where will i go!?) 5) someone thinks java is better than c for embedded systems 6) someone criticizes Elon Musk, bitcoin, Linux or renewable energy 7) someone criticizes my use of english, despite myself being a grammar Nazi, even though i only know how to use one language fluently and forget to capitalize I know, I know, I need to use the tags to make numbered list or bullets.

      --
      This is my sig, there are many like it but this one is mine
    35. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    36. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Reminds me of some old joke about the newly married couple
      MAN: Now I can have all the sex I want!
      WOMAN: Now I never have to have sex again.

    37. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It seems like personal assistants are nothing more than intrusive nag machines that want access to every aspect of my life.

      Ah, I see you've met my wife then.

    38. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Cortana doesn't compensate you with sex.

      Neither does a wife.

      Well, that's what the girlfriend is for!!!

      ;)

      Well the technical term for this is mistress, but yes. In saner times marriages were basically financial arrangements for the purposes of procreation and the raising children, and mistresses were a tacitly acceptable outlet for men who wanted some actual pleasure to add to the mix.

    39. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      If it's anything like MS's plan for Steam, then it'll make the other assistant run worse and worse over time so that you use Cortana primarily.
      http://www.pcgamer.com/tim-sweeney-thinks-microsoft-will-make-steam-progressively-worse-with-windows-10-patches/

    40. Re:Remind me by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      Cortana doesn't compensate you with sex.

      But now she will nag you to get back to the Thai escort spam emails you have been getting. She will also keep reminding you to make your mortgage larger.

    41. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Cortana was never all that much help in Halo:Combat Evolved. Sounds like she has gotten a lot more nosey and bitchy since then! One more reason I'm happy NOT to use Windows 10!!

    42. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It seems like personal assistants are nothing more than intrusive nag machines that want access to every aspect of my life.

      Im curious what you think a "personal assistant" does because that's pretty much the entire job description.

      Now they juts have to develope a cassis capable of fetching coffee.

    43. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's as thought Microsoft is doing everything that they can to kill themselves by annoying the shit out of users. Windows 10 was already the worst OS ever made, but they are intent on making it even worse with each update.

    44. Re: Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So not married eh?

    45. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't worry, your tickler won't forget.

    46. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > Neither does a wife.

      *Your* wife, perhaps. She doesn't compensate *you* with sex perhaps. Hmmm.

      Ah, by the way: cheap Vinagra, or what.

    47. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh, but she does. She fucks with me every day.

    48. Re:Remind me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let's see what a personal assistant should do: answer phone, provide sex, fetch car/coffee/beer.
      Now let's see what a personal assistant should NOT do: nag, bitch, moan.

    49. Re:Remind me by coofercat · · Score: 1

      I may well be alone in this, but I think this actually sounds like a good idea. I really could do with a personal assistant that knows every detail of every email I've ever written or received and can tell me to do stuff in emails that are 'below the fold' that I've forgotten about.

      What I don't want is all that happening on someone else's server. If it could all happen on my computer without need to send every last detail to 'the cloud' then I'd genuinely be interested. Until then, I'll keep using my (Siri-disabled) Mac, thanks.

    50. Re:Remind me by DeVilla · · Score: 1

      But never fear. The next update (or maybe the one after that) will correct this.

  2. Cortana *knows* by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Clearly the sinister cousin of the despicable Paper-Clip devil spawn.

  3. Nag-A-Tron 5000 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Mmm yummy a program that reads my mail and will chase me down for shit

    Where do I sign up for this abuse? (oh yeah I installed Windows 10 abuse is complimentary)

  4. Wont last by eneville · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Important things wont get done if you get reminded all the time to go back and fix all the perfect world problems that you promised yourself you'd do. Unfortunately life gets in the way and the important things quickly take priority. Being reminded to go and correct the whitespace in a random header file isn't going to help anyone.

    1. Re:Wont last by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If it's not important, then don't promise to do it. Is that so hard?

      If, on the other hand, you've said you'd do it - then fucking do it, if humanly possible. "Isn't going to help anyone" - except your career, when people realize you can be trusted to do the things you say you'll do.

    2. Re:Wont last by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Promising something is the easy way to get an annoying asshole out of your hair.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  5. But isn't a machine scanning your email bad? by raburton · · Score: 1

    Isn't this how Microsoft tried to bash Google, because they matched keywords in emails to ads?

    1. Re:But isn't a machine scanning your email bad? by The-Ixian · · Score: 1

      You've been Microscraped? Microscrewed? Microscorned?

      Yeah... not quite as catchy as Scroogled.

      --
      My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
    2. Re:But isn't a machine scanning your email bad? by Baloroth · · Score: 2

      Corporations are like political factions. It's always OK when we do it, it's those other guys doing it that's bad!

      --
      "None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license." --John Milton
    3. Re:But isn't a machine scanning your email bad? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Microshafted

    4. Re:But isn't a machine scanning your email bad? by maharvey · · Score: 1

      Its the new micro-nagging economy. Every time you press the "fuck you" button to shut her up, you pay Microsoft 1 cent.

    5. Re:But isn't a machine scanning your email bad? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      President Trump, this is just a reminder that you promised to "LOCK HER UP!"

    6. Re:But isn't a machine scanning your email bad? by DeVilla · · Score: 1

      That's not true. The Swear Jar app isn't coming until a much later update.

  6. I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't send that. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Cortana will accomplish the mission despite you endangering it.

  7. No. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fuck off. Just... fuck off.

  8. Such is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    innovation these sad days.

  9. Is the scan done client-side or server-side? by mmell · · Score: 3, Interesting
    I get the impression it's done server-side and pushed to the client. I also find this just a little terrifying.

    Then again, if Google can do exactly the same thing to improve the accuracy of targeted advertising I suppose this is relatively innocuous. Still, can I meaningfully out out of should I just make sure GPG/PGP is installed and working correctly? After all, the OS itself does a couple dozen phone-homes, why should web services be any different?

    1. Re:Is the scan done client-side or server-side? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Google reads gmail - which is why I don't use gmail. I have an account that was forced upon me when I got my android phone. But because google reads it, I won't use it for communication with anybody but google. (So it has only been used for password resets so far.) I will never set up forwarding, for I don't want to be available on a mail service that a corporation read like that.

      Of course, google misdirects people to my gmail account - so messages sits there unread. Too bad, but then, I never gave out that address. I have given out those I actually use.

    2. Re:Is the scan done client-side or server-side? by Raenex · · Score: 0

      You have no privacy. Get over it and love Big Brother.

    3. Re:Is the scan done client-side or server-side? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There is a significant difference between Google and Microsoft.

      You can avoid Google, even if it might be difficult, Microsoft owns the endpoint. No matter where you go, what service you use or even what application, big sis Cortana can see what you're doing, unless you simply chose the nuclear optionand switch to some other system, like Linux or one of the BSD's. (No, I don't trust Apple or Siri one single bit more than I do Microsoft.)

      Further, this is way creepier than anything Google have ever done, since Cortana has access to all your data basically, and not just whatever happens to be on your phone or whatever goes through your gmail-account.

  10. You Promised to Kill... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I can't wait until Cortana reminds someone to carry out their death threat...

    1. Re:You Promised to Kill... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Trump Trump Trump

      Captcha: ideally

    2. Re:You Promised to Kill... by Destoo · · Score: 1

      And then it broadcasts the reminders on all of your devices.
      Fun times.

      --
      Nouvelles de jeux et technologies en français. TC
    3. Re:You Promised to Kill... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I can't wait until Cortana reminds someone to carry out their death threat...

      or better yet, launch a drone to do the dirty deed...

    4. Re:You Promised to Kill... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Hey! I see your drafts folder contains an unfinished death threat to your boss! Proximity sensor indicates your boss just walked in! Why not have that conversation in person instead!

    5. Re:You Promised to Kill... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I can't wait until Cortana reminds someone to carry out their death threat...

      or better yet, launch a drone to do the dirty deed...

      Ok, Obama, cut that out. You're not the President any more.

    6. Re:You Promised to Kill... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If Windows has a proximity sensor to detect my boss then I'm willing to suffer through every other "feature" they decide to include.

  11. One answer. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCADpxXn4Yo

  12. Incriminate me Now! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Cortana calls the cops if your email contains a promise to do a crime? Sounds hot. Sign me up for some of that.

  13. gpedit to disable Cortana by Torodung · · Score: 2

    It is still possible to disable Cortana in any version of Windows 10.

    Go to http://www.ghacks.net/2016/07/... and scroll down to Does that mean that you cannot turn of Cortana anymore? and you will find instructions to activate the GP template or enter the registry key directly into regedit.

    1. Re:gpedit to disable Cortana by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search

      AllowCortana

      REG_DWORD

      0

    2. Re:gpedit to disable Cortana by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No thanks. I've disabled Cortana before, and next update she comes back... plus the method used to get rid of her has been removed. As far as MS is concerned you don't get a choice. If you use Windows 10 then Cortana is in your future.

    3. Re:gpedit to disable Cortana by BlackSupra · · Score: 1

      > "Please note that the Group Policy Editor is only available in professional versions of Windows 10. Most notably, it is not available in Windows 10 Home."

    4. Re:gpedit to disable Cortana by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is still possible to disable Cortana in any version of Windows 10.

      Yes, in any version of Windows 10 except the one with the highest install base by far.

    5. Re:gpedit to disable Cortana by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Use the pro version.

      You can kill the worthless bitch dead.

  14. I wonder how this would go down... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    *"If you don't pay me back by Friday Todd I swear to god and everything holy I'll rip your fucking nuts off and feed them to your children."*

    1. Re:I wonder how this would go down... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      *"If you don't pay me back by Friday Todd I swear to god and everything holy I'll rip your fucking nuts off and feed them to your children."*

      Cortana: "Do you want them fried, baked, or broiled?"

    2. Re:I wonder how this would go down... by The-Ixian · · Score: 2

      *ding* Cortana reminder: Don't forget your appointment with Todd today (Friday) to rip your fucking nuts off and feed them to your children.

      --
      My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
    3. Re:I wonder how this would go down... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      *"If you don't pay me back by Friday Todd I swear to god and everything holy I'll rip your fucking nuts off and feed them to your children."*

      God: <frowns>

  15. Big Sis is watching. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I suppose Microsoft thought they were smart calling it "Cortana" rather than "Big Brother", but it definitely seems headed the same way. What's next, will she start "fixing" your outgoing emails and snooping on the incoming ones according to what the party line is for the moment, and fire of a message to HR or some three letter agency if anything suspicious turns up?

  16. "Machine Learning" by darkain · · Score: 2

    I love how "Machine Learning" is basically the new hit buzzword (phrase) of 2017. Everything is now "WITH MACHINE LEARNING!" - which is really usually just a static algorithm that searches for generic key words. If you use Facebook, you've probably already seen this in where they highlight words representing time or dates and if you click on them it'll generate a calendar item for you. Microsoft is literally just doing the same, only without the asking part now, but labeling it "Machine Learning" and calling it "OMGZ INNOVATION!"

    1. Re:"Machine Learning" by The-Ixian · · Score: 1

      Corn Flakes! Now with 20% more boring MACHINE LEARNING (and NO toy) in every box!

      --
      My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
    2. Re:"Machine Learning" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I bet you are the sort to opine that we don't use AI in self-driving cars. Probably can't say "the cloud" without actually miming fingerquotes either. You have no idea what you are talking about.

    3. Re:"Machine Learning" by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      OMGZ INNOVATION

      As much as I hate buzzwords I can't help but notice everything seems to automatically get better as I use it. Recommended news is more relevant to my interests, handwriting recognition in Windows is getting better (and by all accounts my handwriting is going the opposite direction), and what started off as basic times and dates is being picked up every more generically with words like soon, tomorrow, before the end of the week, etc.

      If this buzzword is driving this than tac it on where you want.

    4. Re:"Machine Learning" by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

      you've probably already seen this in where they highlight words representing time or dates and if you click on them

      If you go to the English Language edition of People's Daily (nice easy to type in URL, en.people.cn ) a floating box at the bottom left sits there and the webpage brings up floating dialogues with Chinese translations of the word you hover over. The translation service, BTW, says it's from Bing.

    5. Re:"Machine Learning" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Corn Flakes! Now with 20% more boring MACHINE LEARNING (and NO toy) in every box!"

      The toy is the Windows 10 machine in the box.

    6. Re:"Machine Learning" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I love how "Machine Learning" is basically the new hit buzzword (phrase) of 2017. Everything is now "WITH MACHINE LEARNING!"

      I'm still waiting for all those "FUZZY LOGIC!" promises to show up. Yes, that shows my age.

  17. Mi6ro6of6 wants your soul by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    seriously people, how are we still putting up with this shit ?!

  18. Microsoft LIED. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Microsoft kept telling everyone that only Google reads your email, and they don't. Now they're admitting that Cortana will read your email without your permission!

    1. Re:Microsoft LIED. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It's different! Google parses your e-mail in order to profile you for advertising. Cortana parses your e-mail in order to remind you that you're a lying procrastinator that has no intention of following through on anything. :P

    2. Re:Microsoft LIED. by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 2

      Now they're admitting that Cortana will read your email without your permission!

      From TFS:

      You'll need to connect an Outlook.com or Office 365 account to Cortana to enable the feature, ...

      Maybe Cortana can remind you to learn how to read.

      --
      It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
  19. I got this. by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1

    Disable Cortana.

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:I got this. by maharvey · · Score: 2

      I'll bet she'll still be active and silently reading your email.

  20. Headline should be changed... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Needs to read, "Cortana now reads all of your emails".

    1. Re:Headline should be changed... by BadMrMojo · · Score: 1

      Possible revision: "Cortana now admits to reading all of your emails."

  21. Creepy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    If this is purely local and I can turn it off, that's fine.

    If it's cloud-based, it better be encrypted in a way that only I can decrypt it.

    If I can't turn it off, well, read Nineteen Eighty-Four.

    1. Re:Creepy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Cortana schedules an appointment for you in Room 101 and charges your credit card to pay for your own rats.

    2. Re:Creepy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If this is purely local and I can turn it off, that's fine.

      If it's cloud-based, it better be encrypted in a way that only I can decrypt it.

      If it's sent to the cloud for analysis, it cannot be encrypted. It's still not possible to operate on (most) encrypted datasets. The good news is I doubt that simple stuff like scanning emails to create reminders needs to be processed on the cloud. Even a relatively simple smartphone can do this processing locally, let alone a PC running Cortana.

      I haven't read the terms of service so I can't be sure about this though. Experience has shown that what these corporations need to do and what they claim that they need to do are often two different things. On the other hand, MS has publicly attacked Google about this very issue, so it would make them look like complete assholes if they started doing the same.

  22. Failed to disable Cortana when asked by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

    Seriously, how do I shut down this nanny state product?

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
    1. Re:Failed to disable Cortana when asked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Seriously, how do I shut down this nanny state product?

      Install Linux Mint

    2. Re:Failed to disable Cortana when asked by techno-vampire · · Score: 1

      Reformat your hard drive and install Linux. It's the only way to be sure unless you're able to nuke Redmond from orbit.

      --
      Good, inexpensive web hosting
    3. Re:Failed to disable Cortana when asked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Linux Mint, like all Debian derivatives and Debian itself are complete and utter dogshit.

      If you are going to recommend a linux distro choose a professional one so you won't scare people away.

  23. Digital lobotomy in action by herve_masson · · Score: 1

    If only cortana could remind itself to never show up again...

  24. Microsoft: "Google reads all your emails" by tomxor · · Score: 0

    Anyone remember this from 4 years ago? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tec...

    I'd say this was fair game for Google :)

    1. Re:Microsoft: "Google reads all your emails" by tomxor · · Score: 1

      OMG who the fuck voted this troll... this is literally a fact posted about a previous story and a note on the relevance and irony. I swear Microsoft's minions must be here to manipulate posts.

  25. Re: "Machine Learning" is for niggers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Look ma' another idiot! There must be a nest here somewhere...

  26. It's not easy by daninaustin · · Score: 1

    They make it difficult to remove. You can't just click a button or turn off a service if you want it really to be gone (like i do.) I ended up having to change ownership of the directory and then moved it so it can't load. It made a huge performance improvement on my son's (relatively old I7) laptop.

  27. Creepy! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Creepy!

  28. Re:"Machine Learning" is for niggers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How's TempleOS coming along?

  29. She WHAT? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ima sue that bitch! What does she think she is that she's reading ma mail! How did she get the password? Where is she reading ma mail?

  30. I'll bet they're doing this at the server, not the by mmell · · Score: 1

    Just a guess...

  31. The Microsoft questions by Opportunist · · Score: 2

    1. "Can it be disabled?"
    2. "How much longer are we going to be able to disable it?"
    3. "What will break in the process of this being disabled that I actually DO want from the system?"

    These are honestly the 3 questions I have been asking EVERY SINGLE TIME Microsoft announced any new "feature" for an OS in the past 3 years. There was not a single instance of "hey, I've been waiting for that!" or "Now that's a good idea".

    Not
    a
    single
    one

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    1. Re:The Microsoft questions by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

      It will be possible to disable it. But each time Windows Update is run, it is possible it will be re-enabled.

      It is not possible to disable Windows Update.

  32. And then... by Trogre · · Score: 1

    And then tells Microsoft when you've done it.

    --
    "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
  33. This level of intrusiveness is appalling. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't the people who design this stuff stop to think how it might be received by customers who
    think for themselves ?

    I will sum up my personal reaction in two words :

    FUCK THIS.

  34. Wow, doing what Google did a year ago. by arthurh3535 · · Score: 1

    I am amazed.

    --
    No! It's a *SIG*. Keep the Special Interest Groups away! (Con joke!)
  35. Let Me Guess by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 1

    Let me guess. The AI that performs the processing to create the reminders regarding promises you made in your emails is very powerful and smart. So smart that all your emails are transferred off and processed on a Powerful Cloud Computer that Microsoft is generous to provide gratis, free of charge!

  36. Re: "Machine Learning" is for niggers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think he's the "only apps app apps luddite" dude and he started mixing his pills lately.

  37. Love Big Brother by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You have no privacy. Get over it and love Big Brother.

    Sure. I will "love" Big Brother with a long splintery broom handle.

  38. Think of the telemetry they'd send back by knorthern+knight · · Score: 1

    > Coming soon from Microsoft: there's a robot for that.

    MS could blackmail millions of people.

    --

    I'm not repeating myself
    I'm an X window user; I'm an ex-Windows user
  39. Fear... by Kurdy · · Score: 1

    Am I the only one that get scared with that stuff ? I must be getting too old. I used to think that S. Hawking was an alarmist when he said that AI might end mankind... Not so much anymore.

    --
    The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts. - Marcus Aurelius