diff --git a/doc/man/task-sync.5 b/doc/man/task-sync.5
index c25ba7a11..2d65759f7 100644
--- a/doc/man/task-sync.5
+++ b/doc/man/task-sync.5
@@ -259,11 +259,11 @@ This time the URI is determined automatically, and after the merge the files are
 pushed back to the remote machine.  In a similar way, the remote machine can
 also be configured to merge from the local machine and push back to it.  Then it
 is just a matter of Alice remembering to merge now and then, from either
-machine, to have her data in two places.
+machine, to have her data in two (or even more) places.
 
 .SH CONFIGURATION
 By setting these configuration variables, it is possible to simplify the
-synchronization commands, by relying on the defaults.
+synchronization commands, by relying on the defaults or alias names.
 
 .br
 .B merge.autopush=yes|no|ask
@@ -276,23 +276,29 @@ performed, or whether the user is asked every time.  The default value is 'ask'.
 .B merge.default.uri=<uri>
 .RS
 Sets a default URI so that just the 'task merge' command be run without the
-need to retype the URI every time.
+need to retype the URI every time. You can also use this configuration scheme
+to set alias names, e.g. set merge.desktop.uri and run 'task merge desktop'.
 .RE
 
 .br
 .B push.default.uri=<uri>
 .RS
 Sets a default URI so that just the 'task push' command be run without the
-need to retype the URI every time.
+need to retype the URI every time. You can also use this configuration scheme
+to set alias names, e.g. set push.desktop.uri and run 'task push desktop'.
 .RE
 
 .br
 .B pull.default.uri=<uri>
 .RS
 Sets a default URI so that just the 'task pull' command be run without the
-need to retype the URI every time.
+need to retype the URI every time. You can also use this configuration scheme
+to set alias names, e.g. set pull.desktop.uri and run 'task pull desktop'.
 .RE
 
+Note that, when using SSH/scp, hostnames will be expanded due to the ssh 
+configuration file ~/.ssh/config.
+
 .SH EXTERNAL DEPENDENCIES
 Depending on the URI protocols used, the utilities 'scp', 'rsync' and 'curl'
 must be installed and accessible via the $PATH environment variable.
@@ -317,7 +323,8 @@ http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.txt for more information.
 .BR taskrc(5),
 .BR task-faq(5),
 .BR task-color(5),
-.BR task-tutorial(5)
+.BR task-tutorial(5),
+.BR ssh_config(5)
 
 For more information regarding task, the following may be referenced:
 
diff --git a/src/TDB.cpp b/src/TDB.cpp
index ec2454bda..15339e6c6 100644
--- a/src/TDB.cpp
+++ b/src/TDB.cpp
@@ -1356,9 +1356,14 @@ void TDB::merge (const std::string& mergeFile)
   {
     // nothing happend on the remote branch
     // local branch is up-to-date
-    throw std::string ("Database is up to date.");
+
+    // nothing happend on the local branch either
+    if (lit == l.end())
+		 throw std::string ("Database is up to date.");
+	 else
+		 std::cout << "No changes were made on the remote database.\n";
   }
-  else // lit == undo.end ()
+  else // lit == l.end ()
   {
     // nothing happend on the local branch
     std::cout << "No changes were made on the local database.  Adding remote changes...\n";
@@ -1541,10 +1546,6 @@ void TDB::merge (const std::string& mergeFile)
     if (! File::write (undoFile, undo, false))
       throw std::string ("Could not write '") + undoFile + "'.";
   }
-  else // nothing to be done
-  {
-    std::cout << "No merge required.\n";
-  }
 
   // delete objects
   lmods.clear ();
diff --git a/src/TransportCurl.cpp b/src/TransportCurl.cpp
index ea09884ed..12c187e5e 100644
--- a/src/TransportCurl.cpp
+++ b/src/TransportCurl.cpp
@@ -38,10 +38,16 @@ TransportCurl::TransportCurl(const Uri& uri) : Transport(uri)
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void TransportCurl::send(const std::string& source)
 {
-	if (uri.host == "")
-		throw std::string ("when using the 'curl' protocol, the uri must contain a hostname.");
+  if (uri.host == "")
+    throw std::string ("when using the 'curl' protocol, the uri must contain a hostname.");
 
-	if (is_filelist(source))
+  if (uri.user != "")
+  {
+    arguments.push_back("--user");
+    arguments.push_back(uri.user);
+  }
+
+  if (is_filelist(source))
   {
     std::string::size_type pos;
     pos = source.find("{");
@@ -76,25 +82,32 @@ void TransportCurl::send(const std::string& source)
     arguments.push_back (source);
   }
 
-	// cmd line is: curl -T source protocol://host:port/path
-	if (uri.port != "")
-	{
-		arguments.push_back (uri.protocol + "://" + uri.host + ":" + uri.port + "/" + uri.path);
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		arguments.push_back (uri.protocol + "://" + uri.host + "/" + uri.path);
-	}
+  // cmd line is: curl -T source protocol://host:port/path
+  if (uri.port != "")
+  {
+    arguments.push_back (uri.protocol + "://" + uri.host + ":" + uri.port + "/" + uri.path);
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    arguments.push_back (uri.protocol + "://" + uri.host + "/" + uri.path);
+  }
 
-	if (execute())
+  if (execute())
     throw std::string ("Could not run curl.  Is it installed, and available in $PATH?");
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void TransportCurl::recv(std::string target)
 {
-	if (uri.host == "")
-		throw std::string ("when using the 'curl' protocol, the uri must contain a hostname.");
+  if (uri.host == "")
+    throw std::string ("when using the 'curl' protocol, the uri must contain a hostname.");
+
+  if (uri.user != "")
+  {
+    arguments.push_back("--user");
+    arguments.push_back(uri.user);
+  }
+
 
   if (is_filelist(uri.path))
   {
@@ -127,20 +140,20 @@ void TransportCurl::recv(std::string target)
     target = "-o " + target;
   }
 
-	// cmd line is: curl protocol://host:port/path/to/source/file -o path/to/target/file
-	if (uri.port != "")
-	{
-		arguments.push_back (uri.protocol + "://" + uri.host + ":" + uri.port + "/" + uri.path);
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		arguments.push_back (uri.protocol + "://" + uri.host + "/" + uri.path);
-	}
+  // cmd line is: curl protocol://host:port/path/to/source/file -o path/to/target/file
+  if (uri.port != "")
+  {
+    arguments.push_back (uri.protocol + "://" + uri.host + ":" + uri.port + "/" + uri.path);
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    arguments.push_back (uri.protocol + "://" + uri.host + "/" + uri.path);
+  }
 
-	arguments.push_back (target);
+  arguments.push_back (target);
 
-	if (execute())
-    throw std::string ("Could not run curl.  Is it installed, and available in $PATH?");
+  if (execute())
+     throw std::string ("Could not run curl.  Is it installed, and available in $PATH?");
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////