1. In a system having a plurality of preference objects and at least one user, a method for elaborating a user's preferences in response to the user's name, comprising the steps of: associating with the user name an entitlement expression, the entitlement expression including a reference to at least one membership map of preferences having membership information for the preference objects; associating with the preference objects a unique identifier, the unique identifier acting as an index into each membership map of preferences; evaluating the entitlement expression for the user name to determine a preference list for the user name, the evaluation including looking up the preference object's membership information in the at least one membership map of preferences using the preference object's unique identifier.