Still trying to figure out which version of Windows to adopt next? Seems like it's getting tougher by the day, at least if you follow the often-conflicting news and blog reports.

For example, Vista, as we've discussed for months, offers robust security, a pair of Service Packs, and plenty of unheralded features.

But then there's Windows 7, the media darling, the savior of the economy, and the "best Windows ever" (according to countless Release Candidate adopters).

Encouraging as it is to see such praise for a new version of Windows, some have stopped to wonder if the fuss is not a bit overblown. Specifically, ZDNet's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes asks: "What's the Windows 7 killer feature that's going to be pulling people to the PC stores in their droves to buy these new systems?"

Here's an excerpt from Kingsley-Hughes' diatribe:

There's no doubt that businesses will eventually need to move on, sooner rather than later when it comes to those companies still using XP (the majority from what I can tell). But even with that said, I can't see businesses doing anything as silly as rushing to adopt a new OS. I still say that SP1, as has been the case with previous incarnations of Windows, will be the event that IT managers will be keeping an eye out for.

The answer, of course, is that Windows 7 has no single killer feature -- nor does it need one. Pundits like Kingsley-Hughes need to remember that an operating system is exactly that: a tool for operating your computer. It's not an application that needs whiz-bang bells and whistles. It's a core, an interface, one that needs to be fine-tuned over time to make life easier and more secure for users and administrators alike. Period.

We're of the opinion that Vista already does that, and Windows 7 will almost certainly do likewise. Moreover, what the new OS lacks in single standout features, it makes up for with any number of minor but very worthwhile additions (including App Locker, Problem Steps Recorder, and improved power management, to name a few).

What do you think? Is Kingsley-Hughes wrong in knocking Windows 7 for its lack of a killer feature, or do you concur that the OS needs more than a few nips and tucks? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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