This section of this manual is a very imported one.  It described how M3 views your image collection and what the various tools provided by it actually do when used.  It however does not describe each tool in detail since each has its own chapter.

M3's view of your system

M3 assumes that it can learn about any image or non-image file you access with it.  It also assumes that there are other forces (i.e. you using other tools) making modifications to your system.  Slowly, as it gets chances to write to its database because of your actions, it corrects its knowledge of your system.  If there are information which you do not want M3 to learn about, don't use it to access them.

M3's view of your images

M3 assumes that there is only one copy of each image on your system and that each image has a unique name.  With this assumption, it can maintain attributes & descriptions for the image and notice any changes in its location on your system.  With the upcoming BBS enhancements, it will also be able to detect duplicate images.

M3's view of your actions

M3 assumes that any possibly destructive actions you perform must be confirmed first.  In cases of database data destruction, it will prompt you to confirm you actions by typing in a message.  In cases of images, it makes the assumption  that you do not wish to confirm your action for every individual image.  For this, it displays a list of your actions and gives you a chance to review them (and skip any wish you) before you commit to it.

M3 also assumes that you do not wish to automatically cancel actions which can not be completed when you request them.  For example, if a file can not be copied because of lack of disk space, M3 will remember the copy action along with other incomplete actions and let you decide at a latter time if you want them retried or skipped.

M3 assumes search speed to be the most important issue

M3's places importance on search speed more than anything else.  A great deal of work has gone into implementation of M3's database and search engines.  M3 will, at any time, spend reasonable amount of resources (such as memory  or disk space) if they can improve search speeds.  A typical search using M3 should take only seconds even for the largest image collections.

M3 assumes not all pictures are desirable

M3 does add what it sees to its knowledge at every opportunity but it also provides tools (known as Choosers and the Slideshow) which allow you to view images - possibly new images from internet or other sources - and to accept them or reject them before they are realized by the M3 database.  Accepted images will be added to M3's database and rejected ones will be destroyed.