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Now if any of this falls under anything that shouldn't be said, and the MOD actually KNOWS what shouldn't be said and can make that judgement, then feel free to delete. However I think almost everything said here will fall under what people probably already know.

I know that they say conversion is not going to be done, but I don't exactly agree that it can't be done (big difference of statements there).

In that light, I think you could start preparing your characters for a 3.5 to 4e conversion today.

First off, level for level, the characters should transfer much more smoothly than say 2e to 3e. In fact it should be more like a 1e to 2e conversion.

Ability scores should be relavant. Races overall should be relavant for core (except for an exception to that rule).

Classes are a bit more tricky. Some have noticed that there have been more core classes talked about then are around to equal the number 8. Some of this is due to details still being hashed out...but SOME of it is due to people calling various branches of a class by it's tree/branch title and referring to it like they refer to a class. So a Warrior type that could take a more offensive role might be referred to in a way that the offensive tree title is seen as a class.

This is not bad, as class abilities you may have now would fall under that tree, and hence be transferable. It just means your base class will be different, but the optional class path that you take will be called something similar to what your class is now, and the abilities should be comparable.

There will be slight modifications but for most of the classes you can probably follow the optional path which most closely parallels your class. In that light, I expect there will be 8 core classes...but with 16 -32 different path options which would be sort of equivalent to 16 - 32 different core classes Now!

Which means that there will be a LOT covered for many of the classes.

Prestige classes should be in if indications are right, but conversion of those could be a LOT trickier, as you probably won't have a direct conversion for most of those. A few will exist however, and you might get lucky.

Hitpoints are a tad more tricky. Base mechanics should be similar to taking your Constitution score and adding a certain amount based upon your Class at first level. You can handle it now by simply taking your max HP at first level and levelling as usual, then when converting either keep that number, or add the amount you are shy by with your HP to your total HP when you convert.

Skills can be handled by using the UA version of max skill ranks. Choose your skills at first level from the class skills you have, and then max them out and keep them maxed according to class as you progress. If you want another skill, act as if you spent a feat doing so. This should make conversion to 4e a LOT easier. Some skills will be merged or not exist in 4e, in which case you'll have to choose one that most closely matches it (if it no longer exists) OR choose a new one (if merged)!

Feats will vary. With Feats some will exists, others won't. However many will fall under the various character paths, and so it's a lot harder to convert. Try following some of the same paths you have now with feats, and be prepared to be flexible when it comes down to the selection of them in 4e. If you follow a set path of feats, choose one that you would like to be the primary path of your character (and one that hopefully will compliment your class best as these character paths will be integrated with the feats most likely) and make that the one that you will want to keep if you have to make choices of which feats to keep and which ones not to keep.

Magic...

I'm sorry.

Multiclass individuals are a tad harder to convert, but I'd imagine that you'd be happy with what's coming, and conversion should be more logical than not. As long as you have characters of different class types as per what most would follow in rules adherence (Fighter/Rogue difference as opposed to Fighter/Ranger difference) you should have it easier.

Equipment will be the one area where you are going to have it roughest. Equipment...well...I'd say there might not be really any good way to do this. Perhaps you should just break it down in costs and have them rebuy (perhaps campaign wise, have them robbed blind in the night or something).

Anyways, my thoughts on how to start preparing your characters now for a 4e conversion.

Anyone who has more thoughts to flesh this out better is welcome, and keep it alive...especially when 4e rolls out, a conversion guide here could probably save a LOT of people a LOT of heartache.

I believe it will be a LOT easier to convert (at least the non-spellcasters, though spellcasters probably are more doable than equipment conversion with equivalent costs and such) from 3.5 to 4e than what people are thinking.