Let's be realistic: Windows 7 is pretty much going to be like Windows Vista with a fresh coat of UI paint and a few needed bug fixes. Granted, some of the new interface tweaks are pretty slick, which is why software developers have already started cranking out copycat tweaks for Windows Vista (and, in some cases, XP). If you don't feel like waiting until the end of 2009, you can trick out your current version of Windows to look and act much like Microsoft's lucky 7.

(Note: Some of the homebrew utilities mentioned below are unsupported and/or still in their beta-testing stage. I've used them all successfully, but proceed at your own risk.)

Vista's most vilified feature, User Account Control, will be a little less obnoxious in Windows 7: You can choose from four security levels that dictate how often UAC will bug you. Norton User Account Control, a free (and "experimental") download from Symantec's Norton Labs, extends similar courtesies to Vista users, replacing the stock UAC with a version that delivers fewer duplicate intrusions, a 'Don't Ask Me Again' option, and useful details about the nature of the security alert. Alternatively, check out UAC Snooze, a system tray utility that puts Vista's UAC to sleep for a designated period of time--helpful if you're planning to do some system tweaking and you don't want to be bothered every step of the way.