Channels

Internet Explorer 4.0 now supports server push, or Internet broadcasting to a Web client. A Web site that offers content push as a service can broadcast Web content through a channel created through a Channel Definition File, or CDF. A CDF contains key information about the site and its content, including content use and update frequency.

When a channel is available to the Web client, it appears on the desktop as a logo icon in the Channel Bar. The Channel Bar contains a list of all Web sites connected to CDFs, enabling you to switch easily between the sites. Once a channel is established, IE 4.0 automatically monitors the site and downloads new content as necessary. The broadcast is enhanced by a television-style view of the site (shown in Figure 3-3), which is created by running IE 4.0 in full-screen mode.

Figure 3-3. Viewing a channel.