Abstract: A computing system having an object management facility is presented. The object management facility manages a plurality of objects. Each object references an application designed to run in conjunction with the object management facility. The computing system also includes an encapsulation system which facilitates the inclusion in the computing system of a first application not designed to run in conjunction with the object management facility. The encapsulation facility includes an encapsulation shell and a shell filter. The encapsulation shell is referenced by objects as if the encapsulation shell was an application designed to run in conjunction with the object management facility. The encapsulation shell also acts as an interface between the object management facility and the first application. The shell filter interacts with the encapsulation shell and upon instruction from the encapsulation shell is able to intercept commands from a user to the first application.