Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for describing (603) objects (1604) to be shared over a network (1502) by a plurality of network-connected terminals (1501, 1504, 1506) by means of ASCII instructions (201, 202, 206) and for the compiling (103, 104) thereof within an instructions set (208) executable by said network-connected terminals. Each of said network-connected terminals (1501, 1504, 1506) is equipped with visual display means, processing means, storage means and memory means, wherein said memory means is configured to store (1603) said executable instructions set (208) and said processing means is configured by said executable instruction set (208) to manage the duplication of said described objects (1604).

Abstract: Data is shared over a network, having a plurality of network-connected terminals, each including a visual display processor, storage and memory. The memory is configured to store program instructions for equipping objects stored therein with attributes and for managing the duplication of the objects. The processor is configurable by the program instructions to perform the steps of equipping an object with attributes at a first of the network terminals; at a second of the network terminals, matching the object attributes of the first terminal with the attributes of an object amongst all of the objects stored in the second terminal; duplicating the object from the second terminal to the first terminal; at the first terminal, accessing data in the duplicated object using locally executed object instructions; and maintaining data consistency between the duplicated objects.