OK, so it's just a geeks way of saying version. Got it. now that I know that, what is the stepping version on the current Core 2 Duo's? And when are they do to change? Should I hold off a few weeks before ordering to try to get the latest stepping?
Also, I heard some folks mentions waiting until September to get a new motherboard due to stepping revisions. Any details on this?
Well, there are always new steppings being made. Those are usually small changes. The biggest problem is that you won't know what stepping you get when you buy the CPU until you get it home, unless you just happen to know how to read the code on the box or CPU itself, same thing happened with Intel's 975xbx board, where people were looking for rev 3.04 for C2D support. I work in a fab that makes these CPUs, and even I have no idea how to read those 12-16 random codes.
People who are waiting for new steppings are expecting better compatiblity with certain BIOs for motherboards, I suspect. But a new CPU stepping isn't a guarantee of that.
If you are looking to build or upgrade, just feel comfortable more with your budget than with what stepping CPU you get. If the CPU won't work or the motherboard/CPU has issues, then you can always exchange or get a replacement for either. I have yet to see an issue with any CPU stepping in any of the systems I have built.