I get you with the windows 7 thing but how big is this company? There's a point where "corporate best practices" don't make sense because there are fewer employees. Maybe negotiate with the boss for one or two of the top things on your list and push the rest until next year.
Also, no matter where you are you'll probably end up frustrated with management not giving you what you need.
Doesn't that depend on who's checking? Reminds me of this old joke:
A nurse goes to check on a patient..she checks on her patient then quickly leaves the room. She goes to the nurses station to tell the other nurses what she has seen. Nurse says: "You'll never guess what I saw when I changed his bedpan. He has a tattoo on his penis that says "Swan"
The other nurse goes in to check it out and returns 5 minutes later saying: "You're right about the tattoo..... but it says "Saskatchewan"