Distributed systems are essential for many real-word applications. The paper presents an experimental programming model that enables visual configuration, deployment and control of data-flow based collaborative systems, a class of distributed applications (DA). The programming model solves the problem of interoperability among DA functional components through the introduction of a fast middleware network software layer, and by implementing a transparent message-based communication between processes executing on machines connected by a local area network. At the next higher level, the programming model allows deployment and interconnection of encapsulated modules by logical composition of the entire collaborative application. The project differs widely from the existing systems in the network communication overhead, and the user interface design.