What's with synchronizing?

Question

This is crazy. Now, I know that most things are easy when you learn how to do it and understand it. I'm sure this will be too. But for now.... I'm just trying to understand this synchronize thing with out loosing any programs etc. It just seam that apple wants to control everything.
First you have use only one computer to do the synchronizing or purchasing thing from the apple store. I have some questions
Do I have to synchronize with the computer? Does this put all the things on the ipod on the computer. If I delete a movie from the computer that is on the ipad is that going to delete it from the ipad? I just need to understand this sync thing. Thanks for any help.
Marco

Answer 1

As long as the content that is on your iPad is ALSO in your iTunes library, you will not lose those items "forever" if you make a mistake when you sync. I put movies on and then take them off of my iPad as I see the need for space or for whatever reason. I select the songs and photos that I want and remove what I don't want as well. I do the same with apps if I find I'm not using them all that often. All this stuff should be stored in your iTunes library when you backup and sync to your Mac. You just need to get comfortable doing it.
This is what I do.....
Choose to prevent the iPad from syncing automatically. Open iTunes on the Mac and go up to Preferences under the bold iTunes heading. Then select Devices and check the box that says - Prevent iPods, iPhones and iPads from Syncing Automatically.
Then the next time you connect your iPad to your Mac - launch iTunes - select your device name in the grey sidebar - and in the Summary area - you can check Sync Only Checked Songs and Videos. Then you can go to each tab at the top in iTunes - Apps, Movies, Music etc and check the items that you want to sync.
Just remember if you delete a song on the first sync just check the box next to that song, click on Apply in the lower right corner - and sync again. You can always download purchased apps again for free - you can transfer a purchased app from the iPad to your iTunes library (right click on the dev ice name in the sidebar and choose Transfer Purchases) you can restore from a backup ... there is a multitude of options for managing the content on the iPad if you accidentally remove something.
Be very disciplined about syncing to your Mac on a regular basis. As long as you keep syncing regularly, the updated content will be transfered to your iTunes library on the Mac. If you use Time Machine so much the better. You will have your iTunes library on there as well.