Frames will provide support for the programming of distributed memory machines via a library of basic algorithms, data structures and so-called programming frames (or frameworks). The latter are skeletons with problem dependent parameters to be provided by the users. Frames focuses on re-usability and portability as well as on small and easy-to-learn interfaces. Thus, expert and non-expert users will be provided with tools to program and exploit parallel machines efficiently. Frames will be constructed for different target machines and common programming environments (like PVM or MPI). The focus, however, is on distributed-memory machines. Frames will be adapted optimally to the target systems, contain efficient state-of-the-art programming techniques, and therefore increase the usability and therefore the acceptance of parallel computing.