Give Vista a Windows 7 Makeover

05.02.2009
Let's be realistic: is pretty much going to be like Windows Vista with a fresh coat of UI paint and a few . Granted, some of the , 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.)

User Account Control

Vista's most vilified feature, , will be a little less obnoxious in Windows 7: You can choose from four security levels that dictate how often UAC will bug you. , 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 , 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.

The Taskbar

Windows 7 has drawn raves for its overhauled taskbar, which sports big, inviting icons and lets you "pin" frequently used applications and documents. Well, guess what: You can get an almost identical taskbar in Vista with just a few clicks.