This isn't much of a starter.
In order to utilize the utility, I would have to upgrade to 4.7.2.1. Then, if the utility decides that the plugin isn't compatible, I'm stuck with a broken website. Not something I am willing to do at present. Of course, come a date in November, being a CiC customer, I will certainly have no choice.
I'm not blaming IPS at all here. I understand that things are evolving and that PHP 7.x is end of life, so the pain will come at some point. I guess what I am hoping for before that drop dead date arrives, is that there will be some way to gauge whether or not a plugin is compatible without breaking my website by upgrading at which point I would be stuck, regardless.