Network adapted for flexible media integration

A software system for controlling networked appliances, comprising:

• a network system with terminals including media input and output devices and effective to receive media data from a media data source and output said media data at at least one of said terminals;
• said network with terminals including at least one processor programmed to provide an operating system and to support applications;
• said operating system having application level software with control applications that provide support to applications;
• said operating system having an activity component that provides processes that are common to different ones of said applications;
• said activity component including a player component configured to manage media data streams and a manager component for registering all active applications;
• said operating system including a user interface component to receive commands from a user to perform an function involving said media data and in response thereto generate a software process part of which is derived from said activity component and part of which is derived from a special application process, and registering said software process with a registering component.