The m3i platform is a collection of components that "talk" to each other across a network. Usually these components are in physical proximity and are often installed in the same physical machine.

Some are User Interfaces, some are applications contributing external functionality but at least one must be a (Functionality) Provider to make them work together. 

A Provider working works a hub for communications, running inside a machine, it exposes its functionality via attributes such that the other components (and people using them) can interact with the machine in innovative ways.