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Seriously, Seven is the name, according to a blog post attributed to Mike Nash, corporate vice president for Windows Product Management. He writes: "Simply put, this is the seventh release of Windows, so therefore 'Windows 7' just makes sense."

Now, how's that for showing imagination in nomenclature? The codename and version number become the product name. There's appropriateness here and foreshadowing. Seven is Windows going back to basics. Microsoft could just as easily call Seven Windows No Frills. Mike writes:

The decision to use the name Windows 7 is about simplicity. Over the years, we have taken different approaches to naming Windows. We've used version numbers like Windows 3.11, or dates like Windows 98, or 'aspirational' monikers like Windows XP or Windows Vista. And since we do not ship new versions of Windows every year, using a date did not make sense. Likewise, coming up with an all-new 'aspirational' name does not do justice to what we are trying to achieve, which is to stay firmly rooted in our aspirations for Windows Vista, while evolving and refining the substantial investments in platform technology in Windows Vista into the next generation of Windows.

Mike reaffirms that Seven will be largely based on Windows Vista. Backward compatibility and product reliability are Microsoft's two major measures for Windows 7. I find Microsoft's Engineering 7 blog to be fascinating reading and largely indicative of the no-frills approach. Most posts follow two tracks: Defending decisions made developing Vista and then promising to make changes. If the features are justified, why are they being changed? It's contradiction. Still, the communication is good. The E7 bloggers are doing a good job setting expectations, which is in some ways is reducing them.

The Windows 7 naming announement is yet another sign that Vista's successor is tracking to release in time for holiday 2009. All the major indicators are in place:

* Windows 7's presence at this month's Professional Developers Conference

* Seven pre-beta code distribution to PDC participants

* Ongoing information disclosure through the Engineering 7 Website

* Today's name announcement

Barring a major catastrophe, Windows 7 will ship in 2009, I predict. Again.

I want to reiterate how much the no-frills naming announcement reflects about Microsoft's Windows development, and also marketing. Typically, Microsoft would have blown up a naming announcement with big PR splash. Instead, there's a blog post. There is overwhelming significance in the underwhelming naming announcement: Windows. Microsoft's "Windows. Life Without Walls" marketing campaign isn't about Vista but the master brand.

I see the naming as also reflecting where Microsoft's marketing is going—and that's back to basics, too. Windows.