According to some rumors, Microsoft has completed Windows 7 Beta 1. The build in question is 6.1.7000.08.081212-1400. What do all these digits mean? And when can the beta-testers get their hands on him?

Long-standing Windows users and veteran beta-testers probably don't need explanations, but for the rest of us, the more information the better.

The meaning of the build number is detailed below:

6 = Version of the NT kernel (Windows 7, as Microsoft stated, is based on the kernel of Windows Vista, or NT 6)
1 = Kernel revision number
7000 = Build number
0 = Build revision number (if necessary; otherwise it is omitted in most builds)
081212-1400 = Compilation date(08 = year (2008), 12 = month (December), 12 = day, 1400 = 14:00 in the afternoon in 24 hour format)