While browsing this site, you might be confused by our inconsistent use of Wave, wave and Google Wave to refer to what seems like a million different things within one sentence. Here is a simple guide:

• Google Wave refers to the internet-based client made by Google - the interface you use to read and browse waves. Also known as Wave the Product.

• Wave refers to any implementation of the Wave Protocol. Currently this is limited to the Google Wave implementation (see above) and a Python server called PyGoWave. Any software that can read and publish waves is also a Wave Client as it accesses the Wave protocols. Wave can also refer to the Wave Platform - the API and hooks that let people create extensions to build extra functionality on Wave. As the extensions should work on other Wave servers, they get Capital Letters.

• Finally, waves (little w) are the actual end product of the Waves listed above. They are the individual messages you send to people using the clients and servers, and are roughly equivalent to emails. As in: “Hey, did you get my wave last night? I need those Johnston numbers by midday.”