An Access is a technical term that, as a kind of Sync Source Preference, defines how Sync'Em can gain access to (e.g., login to or connect to) the entity containing the information to be sync'd. Accounts are accesses that are visible from a User point of view,.

In a sync setup, an account is the information required to enable Sync'Em to log into a computer in order to access an information source that's sync'd.

An Add-On ID is a 65-character code that allows one or more add-on licenses, each of which can be used to add one license to an existing License ID containing licenses of the same kind.

In the context of software, architecture refers to multiple higher-level aspects of the software's design (ala 4+1 Views of Software Architecture). The primary aspect of this involves the underlying abstractions upon which the software is constructed. Good software architecture outlives the implementation because it supports adaptation to technology and requirements changes.

A contact is information on how to contact a person, company or other entity — e.g., an address-book entry. A contact usually consists of a name, postal address, email addresses, URLs and other information.

A 'database' is a mechanism for storing information in a structured manner and for efficiently retrieving collections of information based upon its structure. Sync'Em has multiple underlying OS X SQLite databases.

An abbreviation/acronym for 'database' — a mechanism for storing information in a structured manner and for efficiently retrieving collections of information based upon its structure. Sync'Em has multiple underlying OS X SQLite DBs.

Entourage is one of Microsoft's Exchange-server client applications — i.e., programs that access an Exchange server for mail, contact and calendaring information.

In the context of Sync'Em, events are a kind of information source that's present in many calendaring and other personal information management programs. For most people, events — things of interest that occur at a particular time — are the primary calendaring elements.

EWS and WS are abbreviations/acronyms for 'Exchange Web Services', the term used to describe one of the interfaces provided by Microsoft's Exchange 2007 server. EWS provides a modernized way for programs to communicate with Exchange and is used by Sync'Em.

Exchange is the underlying database and server for Microsoft's email and calendaring products. Common Microsoft client applications that access the server are Outlook, OWA (Outlook Web Access) and Entourage. Sync'Em also accesses Exchange, directly.

A Filter is a technical term that, as a kind of Sync Source Pref, indicates an optional element that defines a subset of the information to be sync'd (e.g., calendar events not older than a year, contacts with addresses in North America, etc.).

An abbreviation/acronym for 'Global Address List' which is the over-all (i.e., global) collection of contacts in an Exchange server. Normally the Global Address List (GAL) contains a company-wide collection of contacts.

A glossary is a list of terms and their definitions, usually arranged alphabetically.

Gmail is the brand name for Google-supplied email, calendaring and contact services (free accounts available).

Google Apps is the brand-name for Google's hosted office-style application service that includes email, calendaring and contact services.

IIS is an abbreviation/acronym for 'Internet Information Services', a set of Internet-based services for Microsoft servers.

In the context of Sync'Em, an information source is a collection of information which can be synchronized with other information sources of the same kind (e.g., contacts, calendar events, etc.).

iSync is an OS X program Apple provides to utilize certain capabilities based upon OS X's Sync Services.

A Knowledgebase is a searchable database of information such as the one accessible via our Support Center.

A License ID is a 65-character code that allows one or more licenses, each of which can be used to activate a licensed set of capabilities for an applicable software application on a single system.

A Locale is a technical term that, as a kind of Sync Source Pref, defines where Sync'Em can locate the information to be sync'd (e.g., a pathname, calendar or DB table) once it gains access to the Sync Source.

A menu extra is a menu that a program places on the right side of the menu bar and is shown regardless of the program that's currently actived/in front. The Sync'Em menu extra presents status and is the menu from which Sync'Em is operated, once set up (enabled via System Preferences => Sync'Em => Preferences =>Show/Hide Menu Extra).

The Sync'Em Message Viewer is the application that provides access to messages posted/stored by the Sync'Em Engine. The Message Viewer is accessed via the Sync'Em menu extra.

MobileMe is the brand name for Apple's Email, Web and synchronization services for systems running Mac OS X. The original version of Apple's service was called .Mac (dot Mac).

In the context of Sync'Em, notes are a kind of information source that's present in many calendaring, email and other personal information management programs.

An abbreviation/acronym for 'Original Equipment Manufacturer' — i.e., software or hardware developer and/or vendor.

Outlook is one of Microsoft's Exchange clients — i.e., programs that access the Exchange server. Outlook requires the Windows operating system.

Outlook Web Access is one of Microsoft's Exchange clients (i.e., programs that access the Exchange server). Outlook Web Access works via a web browser.

An abbreviation/acronym for 'Outlook Web Access', one of Microsoft's Exchange clients (i.e., programs that access the Exchange server). OWA works via a web browser.

An abbreviation/acronym for 'Personal Digital Assistant', the term often applied to small, hand-held computing devices.

Polled update is a term commonly used to refer to an update process wherein an updater (client) regularly queries/polls a supplier (server) for changes — e.g., having Sync'Em poll an information source for changes with the intention of syncing those changes with other information sources. Polling places initiating control with the updater (client) and is often described as scheduled or passive.

Push update is a term commonly used to refer to an update process wherein an updater (client) subscribes to notifications of changes from a supplier (server) and that supplier then notifies the updater when changes occur — e.g., having Sync'Em subscribe to notifications from an information source that indicate changes are available so Sync'Em can immediately sync those changes with other information sources. 'Push' places initiating control with the supplier (server) and is often described as active.

A Schedule is a technical term that, as a kind of Sync Source Pref, indicates an optional Sync Source Pref that defines when (e.g., the dates and times) a Sync Source can be synchronized.

An abbreviation/acronym for 'Simple Object Access Protocol', a protocol specification for exchanging structured information via Extensible Markup Language (XML) in the implementation of web-based services in computer communications.

An abbreviation/acronym for 'Service Pack One' (or Two, etc.), the suffix normally given by Microsoft to identify it's major collection of updates for a given software product (e.g., SP1, SP2, SP3, etc.).

An abbreviation for 'synchronize'. Generally, in the context of computers, to synchronize is to make two different copies of information be exactly the same or at least equivalent when the information sources being sync'd reside in entities that have different capabilities — such as an Exchange calendar versus an iCal calendar.

OS X's Sync Services is the underlying OS X capability that Apple provides to query and update/synchronize various information sources such as those within Apple Address Book and iCal.

A sync setup defines a collection of same-kind information sources whose information is to be kept in sync (i.e., with each other).

A Sync Source is a technical term that indicates an information source which can be synchronized with other Sync Sources of the same kind (e.g., contacts, calendar information, notes, etc.). Attached Sync Source Prefs provide details of how, where, what and when to synchronize.

A Sync Source Pref is a technical term that indicates a kind of information which defines the primary aspects of a Sync Source; i.e., an Access, a Locale, a Schedule or a Filter.

A contraction of 'synchronized'. Generally, in the context of computers, to synchronize is to make two different copies of information be exactly the same or at least equivalent when the information sources being sync'd reside in entities that have different capabilities — such as an Exchange calendar versus an iCal calendar.

The Sync'Em Engine is a collection of programs that perform syncing operations. The sync engine runs in the background and has no user interface — it communicates via status indicators in the Sync'Em menu extra and by posting messages that can be read via the Sync'Em Message Viewer.

A contraction of 'Sync Them' (hey, it's hard to find a reasonable product name where the domain name — like syncem dot com — hasn't been taken by some domain-name squatter).

Generally, in the context of computers, to synchronize is to make two different copies of information be exactly the same or at least equivalent when the information sources being sync'd reside in entities that have different capabilities — such as an Exchange calendar versus an iCal calendar.

An abbreviation for 'synchronizing'. Generally, in the context of computers, to synchronize is to make two different copies of information be exactly the same or at least equivalent when the information sources being sync'd reside in entities that have different capabilities — such as an Exchange calendar versus an iCal calendar.

In the context of Sync'Em, tasks are a kind of information source that's present in many calendaring, email and other personal information management programs. Tasks are often called to-do lists.

An Upgrade ID is a 65-character code that allows one or more license upgrades, each of which can be used to upgrade one license in a compatible License ID to a different (e.g., more capable) license.

A URL is an abbreviation/acronym for Uniform Resource Locator. A URL is a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) — a compact string of characters used to identify a resource — which also specifies the resource's location and the protocol for retrieving it (e.g., for web pages it's http://some-domain.com/some-web-page).