While you're waiting for Apple to nail down a release date for the next major version of OS X, here are a few easy ways to get your Mac tuned and toned in time for Snow Leopard:

Open Up and Say, ‘Ahhhhh’

Tucked away in the Utilities folder is Activity Monitor, a useful app that’ll provide you with a comprehensive overview of CPU usage, system memory, disk activity and network performance to help you locate any issues with your hardware. Before troubleshooting with any of the tips below, a perusal of your Mac’s vitals will make it easier to diagnose, prescribe and dispense the proper medication.

I Can’t Quit You, Baby

Let’s start off easy. Mac newbies and recent switchers might not realize it, but OS X doesn’t automatically assume you’re done using an app just because you close a window. While that’s good for productivity, lots of open, idle apps--especially bloated ones, like Photoshop--can slow down your system. So when you’re finished with them, make sure to properly quit.

Flip the Switch

If you have multiple accounts on your Mac, your side might be negatively affected by apps still running on one of the other users’ screens. By logging out all other accounts before settling in for a lengthy work session, you’ll likely find things a little snappier.

Fidget with Your Widgets

Even the most obsessed users don’t need every widget running on their Dashboard, and shutting down at least a few of them--especially if you’re not running Leopard--will save precious FLOPs. Like leaving too many apps running inconspicuously in the Dock, having a host of widgets silently spinning in the background can eat into your processing power and drag down your Mac.

Update, Update and Away!

While automatically scheduled to run weekly tests for new updates, it can’t hurt to occasionally check your Software Update preference pane to make sure an OS update hasn’t slipped in under the radar--a point update can be like a blood transfusion for your Mac, and the sooner it’s installed, the better off you’ll be.

Remember Your Permission Slip

It might not be the panacea the forums would have you believe it is, opening Apple’s Disk Utility is a good first step toward getting your Mac in tip-top shape. Simply click on the First Aid tab and then Repair Disk Permissions. Think of it like a 3,000-mile oil change for you Mac.

Stick to the Scripts

Like any UNIX-based system, OS X runs a series of maintenance scripts daily, weekly and monthly to keep everything clean and uncluttered. However, unless your Mac is an insomniac, it’ll miss it’s nightly 3:15 a.m. scheduled appointment. Thankfully, you can run them yourself, either by getting your hands dirty tinkering under the hood using Terminal, or downloading any number of apps, such as Onyx or Cocktail, to help you out.

Cache Rules Everything Around Me

One of the most common causes of OS X slow-down is the result of an abundance of stored temporary files, namely overflowing system, user and font caches. A relatively simply Terminal commands can clear them out:

atsutil databases -remove

will flush those pesky font buildup, but there are an array of third-party apps (including the two linked above) to help you here, too.

Feel Free to Chime in at Any Time

After every script, cache dump, permission repair or software update, a good, old-fashioned restart will help keep your Mac so fresh and so clean. And since Macs don't usually need to be restarted, try to remember to do it once a week.

Clearcutting Through the Jungle

Like the font cache, Safari keeps its own stockpile of temporary files that need to be purged every so often to reach optimal speed. Simply press Option+Command+E in any open Safari window. For best results, relaunch the browser too.

What’s Your Preference?

You might not think a 4KB text document could have much of an effect on your favorite apps’ performance, but tiny preference files can wreak havoc on your system, leading to spinning beach balls and untimely crashes. You can tromp through the Preferences folder yourself to find the offending file or download PreferenceCleaner to keep your hands clean.

Start Me Up (or Not)

You won’t find the massive amounts of bloatware that Microsoft crams into Vista, but there might be a few unnecessary startup apps that are quietly dragging down your system. Go check out your Accounts pane and sift through your login items for any unwanted guests.

Just a Little Off the (Desk)top

Mac users have been hearing this since the days of System 7. Of course, OS X handles things a whole lot better--with none of those pesky monthly rebuilds--but if you’re in the habit of cluttering your Desktop with lots of photos and movies, it’s a good idea to organize them into folders every few weeks, especially if your view options are set to render icon previews.

Downsize Me

Just like a messy Desktop can slow things down, an overstuffed hard drive can drag down your Mac, too. With an extensive library of music and movies, even 250GB can fill up fast, so keep an eye on your available space. When there’s less than 20 percent remaining, you might want to buy look into some external alternatives.

Get off at the next bus stop

Peripheral devices such as printers, PowerMates and docks are nice to have on standby, but too many of them can cause a bottleneck that puts undue strain on your Mac. Most USB accessories don’t need to be tethered when not in use, so if your Mac is experiencing periodic slowdowns, try unplugging a few peripherals.

To Defrag or Not to Defrag

The merits of defragmenting a Mac hard drive have been debated since the days of OS 8, but there’s one thing no one will disagree with: It can’t hurt to tighten things up. iDefrag may be a little pricey, but it’s head and shoulders above the rest.

Stand Firmware You Are

They’re not as frequent as OS updates, but every so often Apple releases a model-specific firmware update to tackle a specific hardware issue. These downloads don’t always appear in Software Update, so remember to check out the Support section of Apple’s Web page for the latest release.

Wham, PRAM, Thank You, Ma’am

Like repairing permissions, resetting PRAM (parameter RAM) and SMC (System Management Controller) isn’t a universal cure for everything that’s ailing your Mac, but it’s good for fixing power issues, mouse lag or other settings that may keep your Mac from running at its best. Zapping the PRAM is easy--hold down Command+Option+P+R before the bong--but the SMC is a little trickier, so you might want to read Apple's support document.

Break Down the Language Barrier

OS X’s “Welcome” movie greets users in 15 languages, so you can only imagine how many useless fonts and localization files are littering your hard drive. Free space equals free speed, so get your hands on a copy of Monolingual and reclaim those lost gigabytes.

 

Me and My Shadow

For older Macs, OS X’s slick effects can be a real drain on the CPU. Weaker processors will benefit from, say, removing the drop shadows in iPhoto, but Apple offers no way to lessen the burden of Leopard’s deep shadows. But if your Mac is really struggling (and downgrading to Tiger isn’t an option), Unsanity’s Shadowkiller will wipe out every silhouette. (Editor’s note: It’s not pretty. Nor is it officially supported for Leopard, so the only way to get the shadows back is to shut down and log back in again.)

 

2D’s Company; 3D’s a Crowd

Another bit of eye candy that might be holding back older Macs is the new 3D dock, but with a little Terminal tinkering, you can shatter its glassy look. Simply type:

defaults write com.apple.dock no-glass -boolean YES

followed by

killall Dock

to return to the less graphic-intensive interface. (Editor’s note: To return to 3D, follow the same steps but replace “YES” with “NO.”)

 

Start from Scratch

When all else fails, a clean install of OS X is a sure-fire way to get your Mac back on track, albeit with a fair amount of elbow grease. “Erase and Install” after a back-up is the best option for clearing out all the cobwebs, corrupt preference files and stuck processes, but it’ll require more than a few restarts and trips to Software Update to get things up to speed, not to mention transferring files and digging up all those serial numbers and passwords. For lighter lifting, choose “Archive and Install,” but be wary of filling your drive with too many of those “Previous System” files and folders.

 

Masters of the Universal

When Apple announced the switch from PowerPC to Intel processors, it did an admirable job of making sure all those suddenly obsolete apps ran as smoothly as possible. However, Rosetta apps are RAM hogs that goggle valuable system resources, especially processor-heavy ones like Photoshop or Dreamweaver. If you can’t afford an upgrade to a Universal version, skip to the next tip.

 

RAM-ming Speed!

Whether you own an iMac or a MacBook, the most sure-fire way to speed things up is to max out your RAM sticks. More than likely you can double--or in some cases, quadruple--your system’s memory for around $100.

 

Drive in the Fast Lane

While not as proven of a speed booster--or as easy to install--replacing your Mac’s hard drive may very well bring about an overall snappier experience. For one, you’ll be adding more space; for another, you’ll likely increase the RPMs, which will help OS X retrieve data at a faster clip. And if you’re willing to spend a few extra bucks on a bigger buffer, and you’ll really see a difference.

 

Open Some Windows

If you really want to Mac to feel faster, spend an hour working on a PC. Then go and give your Mac a great big hug.

 

Got a tip to make your Mac scream? Drop in the comments below!