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In the past few months, I’ve written extensively about Windows 7, often focusing on a specific set of features or technologies. Inevitably, someone in the Talkback section says I’m dodging the most important question: Is there a single killer feature in Windows 7 that justifies an upgrade, especially for someone who is happy with Windows XP and has chosen to avoid Windows Vista?

For another perspective on this topic, see Adrian Kingsley-Hughes’ post, Windows 7: revolutionary or evolutionary?

The obvious, if oversimplified answer, is “No.” For most mainstream business and home uses, there’s no killer feature in Windows 7. You can rip an MP3 file, edit a Word document, browse the web, read a PDF file, and probably do just about any other common task, especially those involved with basic business functions, with any hardware and any OS from the 21st Century.

The Small Stuff

Can a hundred small improvements add up to a killer feature? Recently I wrote about six Vista annoyances that are fixed in Windows 7. I could probably find two dozen additional examples of tasks that are greatly streamlined and simplified in Windows 7 compared to XP or Vista. Individually, none of these little things would merit more than an offhand reference, but collectively they add up to a smoother, more productive experience across the board.

Performance and Reliability

With one or two noteworthy exceptions, every review I’ve read of Windows 7 has remarked on its performance. When my colleague Adrian Kingsley-Hughes took a stopwatch to the new OS, it trounced XP and Vista on just about every measure. That’s been my experience as well.

Desktop Search

The more I use the refined Desktop Search feature in Windows 7, the more I love it. From the standpoint of raw functionality, you could accomplish the same thing with Windows 2000 or XP and a variety of free utilities such as X1 or Copernic. The precursors of Windows 7 Search originally appeared in 2004 as part of the MSN toolbar, then as an add-in service for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, and finally as a standalone Windows Search 4.0 update that shared code with its Windows Vista sibling.

Window Management

After a few months with Windows 7, I find myself taking its new window management capabilities for granted. But when I sit down in front of a PC running XP or Vista, I’m reminded of what I’m missing. I regularly drag windows to the edge of the screen to snap them into position using that half of the display so I can compare the contents of two folders or arrange two apps side by side on a large widescreen monitor.