15. A system for collaboratively editing a data file comprising: a storage device on which a master copy of the data file is stored, the master copy having master content and master locks; a user device on which a user copy of the data file is stored, the user copy having user content and user locks, the user content being generated based on the master content and the user locks being generated based on the master locks; an authoring application being implemented on the user device, the authoring application being configured to receive from the storage device master content updates indicating any changes to the master content and master lock updates indicating any changes to the master locks, the authoring application also being configured to identify any editing conflicts between the user copy of the data file and the master content updates and between the user copy and the master lock updates, the authoring application also being configured to display a resolution interface including an accept option and a reject option, the accept option comprising an accept control, the reject option comprising a reject control, the resolution interface being displayed when identified conflicting content is selected, the authoring application being configured to enable a user to select the accept option or the reject option, wherein the selection of the accept option causes an identified editing conflict to be accepted and the selection of the reject option causes the identified editing conflict to be rejected, wherein the resolution interface is configured to present the user copy of the data file including displaying the user locks and displaying the user content annotated to indicate identified editing conflicts, wherein the authoring application automatically instantiates any changes to the master locks when the changes to the master locks do not conflict with any changes to the user locks; and wherein the authoring application automatically instantiates any changes to the master content only when no editing conflicts are identified by the authoring application.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the authoring application also is configured to send to the storage device user content updates indicating any changes to the user content only when no editing conflicts are identified by the authoring application.