Although the Vista transition is far from complete, that doesn't mean Microsoft isn't already hard at work on Windows 7, the next version of the venerable operating system -- and this list of user-requested features unearthed by the folks at NeoWin might hold some clues as to the future. The "wish list" was sent out by Microsoft before Windows 7 development even began, so most of these features probably aren't even on the radar, but what's most interesting is that seemingly small fixes like "Window Update progress indicator" vastly outnumber big-ticket items like "integrated audio / video codec manager" and "Windows 'Game' Mode." We'd say that speaks to a major lack of imagination, so consider this a years-early How Would You Change?, and sound off in comments -- personally, we're hoping for a transactional file system, but we know you all can totally outdo us.

Read -- post at ArsTechnica
Read -- full list at NeoWin

All this talk about what who's getting what, and what're you giving us, Engadget? We have some wishes this holiday season too, you know. Yeah, that's right, we've been secretly keeping a list all year long of the things we really want, and surprisingly we even got a few of them. Check it out, our Chrismahanukwanzakah wish list:

• Authorities to find James Kim in good shape
  
• Apple supports PlaysForSure
• Zune supports PlaysForSure
• Zune supports FairPlay
• No, we REALLY just want Microsoft and Apple to forget the DRM
• Microsoft stops its pursuit of Viodentia
• Everybody gets FTTH. Everybody at Engadget, anyway.
• Something finally outputs 1080p
• CableLabs experience hostile takeover by consumer advocacy groups
• TiVo finally releases Series 3
• TiVo gets reasonable, releases Series 3 for, say, $400

Click on for more!