Newest Build

I am just currious if anyone has 6956. I have the 6801 and I have no problems with it at all. Anyway, I was just wondering if someone could take their time to testify about any differences in the new build so that I could decide if I want to let go of my system that is already near flawless, because, I assume that upgrading would not be an option. For me, stability isn't an issue Windows 7 (6801) already outperforms vista. If you take the time to reply than thankyou. What happened to this forum is windows 7 hyped out already?

I won't challenge you on the relative performances of 7 and Vista. I am a customisation freak and my (overcustomised) Vista is on par with 7 and outperforms it in several instances. But 7 isn't even in Beta yet! I have high hopes.
If you are satisfied with 6801, stay with it until the Beta is out. 6956 does not offer anything outstanding. A couple of features have been dropped already. The new taskbar, for what it is worth, is in by default. Unless you have an official download form Microsoft, I understand there is no way to activate it yet.
On your final comment. Yes, I have also noticed the dearth of activity. But 7 is in early stages. About 905 of the hints and tips which have been freely posted around the web, for Vista, also work with 7. I think everyone is beginning to reailise that and so it has become a status quo "been there, done that". I am sure the site will pick up when the beta is released.
I prowl arounf the sites a lot, and am currently more on sites with an interest in 7, than others. The only other site I know, which has really taken off, was started by a succesful owner of another "help" site. He dragged quite a lot of his associates and posters over to the new site with him, with a little advertising, and so gave it the needed boost.

I just asked a question, here's the answer:
The Good 6956 differences from 6801
way cooler startup screen
The HELP WorKS!!
New Action Center in Control panel
You can access the taskmanager on the right-click context menu of the toolbar
(At least on my machine) build 6956 supports much higher resolutions
New snipping tool kinda cool
A few added desktop backgrounds
Media player has been upgraded and appears to run faster
Bluetooth device is in the send to context menu and a bluetooth file transfer
Windows Live Essentials is nearly the complete package they have been planning - you have to download them but they ARE a part of windows.
There is now a better slider to help with the UAC prompts
You can search the control panel and the startmenu at the same time
Alot more customizations all around
They changed the windows experience index to go up to 7.9 I just want to touch a computer that can do that.
Resource monitor is cooler
When you the mouse moves over the thumbnails on the taskbar instead of the window just comming to the front all the windows dissapear except that one - looks great.
They did something to the timming of the thumbnails on the toolbar so they look cooler when you go through it with multiple items on each.
I didn't fact check this but I believe that there are a few more services - 145 in services.msc.

The BAD differences from 6801

Some of the Icons have changed - for the worse (I think)
The quicklaunch of all things is missing. - I won't get into it because I'll end up banned from this site, but the quick launch is missing. It is in the help files, but the option or ('feature' I guess everything is now)- It's gone Hopefully it's just a sad mistake.
In the full view of all control panel items the icons are arranged alphabetically sideways doesn't look good and harder to find things.

Microsoft said that they were getting rid of the quick launch a while back so it was no disappointment when it was gone. The entire taskbar is a quicklaunch now with added features.

I havn't noticed any big changes in the snipping tool?The new" Action Centre" is a rebadged feature.
I could get the task manager with a right click on the toolbar in 6801?
Worst feature for me, totally inexplicable, is that my harddrive experience index has gone down from 4.9 in 6801, to 3.0 in 6956!

I have build 6956 and it is running flawlessly. It's quite an improvement over build 6801 visually. Performance is damn good. I had no problems with any drivers or any games I threw at it. Though the ATI Windows 7 Catalyst Preview Driver does still need some work, it runs pretty well.

Build 6956 has been working flawlessly. In Build 6801 apparently i have been told that they did not have the new windows experience index built into it. It was using the old vista one that was inaccurate.

Just a note, the WEI goes up to 7.9 in 6801 as well...

Most of the differences between 6801 and 6956 are cosmetic, and 90% of those are enabled through the blue badge. I'd really wait until the beta drops to do an upgrade (Especially if your 7 is activated).

In Build 6801 apparently i have been told that they did not have the new windows experience index built into it. It was using the old vista one that was inaccurate. So dont be hating if it tells you that your computer isnt as good as you think it is.

Just a query on that. Is your friend saying that the reading it gave in Vista was flawed, or that it was only flawed if read in Windows 7? If the former, it seems pretty outrageous that MS could have allowed people to be duped by the index for two or three years?
On the other hand, if it was accurate in Vista, and is now accurate in 7, I cannot see any real reason why I should get a different HD perfprmance figure?
Looks like I,ll have to have a prowl around Microsoft's site and see if there is any comment!

He was going on the fact that vista was the first time for the WEI and as with every first time program there are flaws. For example, My friend and I bought the exact same computer from HP because they were on sale. Both contained windows VISTA Ultimate. As soon as we unpacked them we booted them up and looked at the WEI his was at a 2.9 while mine was at a 4.7. That is quite a difference considering they were brand new computers of exactly the same making. Microsoft has obvious improved on getting more strict on how they calculate the score so that it gives everyone a better idea at how good there computer is. Of course as with vista though you can hack the WEI and change it to whatever you want but i dont see the point.