I'm all about practical when it comes to my commuter bike, but I can't stand "comfort" bikes - they are NOT comfortable! I like my steeper seat tube and skinny saddle and drop bars, thanks very much. And I've worked in bike shops enough to know what happens to those cheesy suspension forks if the bike actually gets *used*.
And year-round commuting is where a fixed gear really is more practical than a geared drivetrain, IMHO. But I'll take it with fenders and a rack. And bartape.