1. A computer system having a memory storing computer executable instructions comprising at least a portion of a supervisory process control and manufacturing information system application distributable to a plurality of networked computer devices and having a layered architecture, the application comprising: application objects that model entities within a process control system, at least one of the application objects comprising: a set of text entries corresponding to words presentable on a user interface in at least a first language; and a set of translation dictionary entry references specified for the set of text entries to enable the set of text entries to be presented in at least a second language different than the first language, and wherein each translation dictionary entry, referenced by one of the set of translation dictionary entry references, includes a set of one or more translation fields for storing text in at least the second language; a scheduler process that scans and executes a set of registered application objects in a run-time environment; engine objects that register the application objects with the scheduler process, start the application objects in a run-time environment, and command the scheduler process to execute the set of registered application objects; and platform objects that execute the engine objects and associated application objects, wherein the at least one of the application objects communicates with other application objects on a same computing device through the engine objects, and communications across the plurality of networked computing devices are supported by the platform objects, thereby insulating communications among application objects from a topology of the computer system within which the application objects execute.