The Gartner Group did some research on upcoming WIndows 7 and whether businesses should have the new operating system inm their plans. Their conclusion: yes, it will happen, and sooner than later.

From Mary-Jo Foley’s “All About Microsoft” blog at zdnet.com:

Gartner Group analysts are telling business users that they should look at Windows 7 as an  “all but inevitable” Windows release.

Assertions from their presentation:

• Windows 7 is not a major architectural release; it’s a polishing of Windows Vista. Still, for businesses, there are “good things to be had” in Windows 7, including AppLocker, BitLocker to Go, BrancheCache, better User Account Control settings, an updated user interface and support for HomeGroups.

See the blog posty here.