Windows 10 is IT, Skynet exists, Amazon drones on about patents, posting negative reviews online, Harry Potter author tackles trolls, and an honest game trailer for Mortal Kombat X.

Windows 10 Is the Last Windows

Windows 10 is set to be the last version of Windows, at least according to Microsoft. This doesn't mean Satya Nadella and co. are abandoning Windows, but it does signify a major change of mindset at Microsoft. And it means the end of Windows as we know it.

The revelation came courtesy of Microsoft employee and evangelist Jerry Nixon, who was speaking at Microsoft Ignite. He said, "Right now we're releasing Windows 10, and because Windows 10 is the last version of Windows, we're all still working on Windows 10."

Microsoft then clarified his statement, telling The Verge, "Recent comments at Ignite about Windows 10 are reflective of the way Windows will be delivered as a service bringing new innovations and updates in an ongoing manner, with continuous value for our consumer and business customers."

Essentially, what this means is that Windows 10 is the last major operating system Microsoft foresees releasing. Rather than being succeeded by Windows 11 and Windows 12, Windows 10 will receive regular updates which incrementally evolve it as time goes on. In other words, it's OS X. Or Microsoft copying Apple. Again.

Skynet Is Real, & Run by the NSA

It turns out Skynet is real, and run by the National Security Agency (NSA). However, as revealed by The Intercept, this Skynet uses phone metadata to identify and track suspected terrorists. Unfortunately, it doesn't always target the right people, with Al Jazeera journalist Ahmad Muaffaq Zaidan singled out after interviewing members of Al Qaeda.

Zaidan denied being a member of either Al Qaeda or the Muslim Brotherhood. He also criticized this method of identifying potential terrorists, saying, “To assert that myself, or any journalist, has any affiliation with any group on account of their contact book, phone call logs, or sources is an absurd distortion of the truth and a complete violation of the profession of journalism.”

Still, as unsettling as this real-life version of Skynet is, it isn't as bad as the Skynet seen in the Terminator films. Which, if you aren't aware, is a computerized defense system which almost destroys humanity with a series of nuclear strikes after becoming self-aware. Which is one up from Ultron.

Amazon Wins Patent for Drone Deliveries

Amazon has been granted a patent for delivering products using drones, and the patent reveals new details about how Amazon Prime Air will work. Unfortunately for Amazon, being granted a patent is only half the battle, and the company still has to figure out how to persuade the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) to let it fly drones across the country.

The patent reveals that Amazon will employ a range of different drones to carry packages of varying shapes and weights. These drones will communicate with each other about the weather and flying conditions, and use a range of cameras and sensors to both avoid crashing and to find suitable landing sites.

Customers will be able to direct the drones to various locales, including their home, their place of work, or even their boat. Because we all own boats, obviously.

The Right to Post Negative Reviews

Lawmakers in the United States are trying to ensure people have the right to post negative reviews about businesses online without fear of retaliation. To this end, four members of the U.S. House of Representatives recently introduced a piece of legislation called the Consumer Review Freedom Act.

According to CIO, the bill seeks to protect those posting negative reviews from then being billed from doing so, at least if it's an honest and fair assessment. The representatives have acted after a spate of incidents involving businesses charging customers for leaving negative reviews, citing clauses in their terms of service.

Darrell Issa, one of the sponsors of the bill, said, “Some organizations have sought to stifle customers’ abilities to express their opinions online by threatening punitive action if a customer leaves a negative review. The mere threat of monetary penalties or fines for writing honest reviews would chill the free exchange of opinions we expect to find on the Internet.”

JK Rowling Takes Down Twitter Trolls

JK Rowling has recently been the victim of online abuse on Twitter. However, just as the titular character in her phenomenally successful Harry Potter series, Rowling has taken a stand. Except, rather than Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters, she is fighting back against twattish Twitter trolls.

As reported by The Guardian, Rowling revealed she has been the victim of abuse for many months. This has mainly been as a result of her support for The Labour Party in the recent British General Election, and her support for the campaign to prevent Scotland from gaining independence from the rest of the United Kingdom.

In a series of tweets, she revealed, “I feel no responsibility to hush up that kind of behavior to protect the image of any political party … It isn’t always fun being a famous woman on Twitter and I believe in standing up to bullies.” She even took down individual trolls with targeted replies such as the brilliant one embedded above.

A Mortal Kombat X Honest Game Trailer

And finally, while we maintain Mortal Kombat X is well worth buying, it's not without its flaws. As this video, an honest game trailer by Smosh, shows. It's not that there's anything inherently wrong with Mortal Kombat X, but a bit of honesty regarding its limitations can only be a good thing. [H/T The Verge]

Your Views on Today’s Tech News

Is Microsoft doing the right thing with Windows 10? Will Amazon ever actually make deliveries using drones? Is JK Rowling right to take on Twitter trolls?

Let us know your thoughts on the Tech News of the day by posting to the comments section below. Because a healthy discussion is always welcome.