First, my main overall question:
Is an IB 5.6 database file the exact same thing as an IB 6 dialect 1
database file?

Reading the migration guide, it says to back up all of your databases
while version 5 is installed, uninstall version 5, install version 6,
and restore from the backups.

I have tried simply skipping the backup and restore steps, and just
opened the version 5.6 database with version 6, and everything works
perfectly. This is a Windows install in both cases.

So, since I don't have any problems, is it really necessary to do the
backup/restore thing, or are the database file structures (Version 5.6
and Version 6 dialect 1) really the exact same thing? Will I run into
problems later if I skip the backup/restore steps?

I'm hoping to get the "real" answer here from someone who knows about
the internal file structure, and not just the "safe" answer that it's
best to follow the instructions.

I've also heard that you're not even supposed to copy database files
from one server (of the same IB version and OS) without backing up and
restoring, but I do it all the time and have never had a problem. The
"safe" answer is not to do it, but the "real" answer is that you can
do
it as long as you copy it when the database is not open, and copy it
to
a server with the same IB version and same OS. I'm hoping that the
V5.6->V6 issue is the same thing.

Thanks,
Joe