Multistore, can 1.6.1.12 and 1.7.1.1 share same products database?

[Bewitching]

I have a store currently running 1.6.1.12.

I am building a store at another url using 1.7.1.1.

Can I run multistore on 1.7.1.1 and run both stores from it?

 

I'm currently doing some css changes for color etc on 1.7.1.1, no product or categories added yet.

Both stores will sell the same products, but cart, customers etc will be separate.

 

Have the layouts of the databases changed much between the versions? Are they cross compatible to share the products portion of the database, yet separate customer, order etc

 

 

I want to know what will work before I start populating the 1.7.1.1 shop with products.

 

Thanks!

(P.S. I did try to search but 1.6 and 1.7 are "too short" for search.
I did try spelling out "one.six" and" one.seven", "onepointsix" and "one point seven". They didn't work either )

[nicoX]

Where you able to do it? I'm wondering myself.