its called server-push. for the complete discussion :
http://home.netscape.com/assist/net_sites/dynamic_docs.html
but basically, a cgi-script pumps data to the browser using a mime
encoding that tells the browser to overwrite the previous data. the mime
encoding is multipart/x-mixed-replace, and you specify a random string as
the boundary between pieces, so the entire line looks like this:
Content-type:
multipart/x-mixed-replace;boundary=ThisIsARandonStringBlahBlah
so in your script (be it sh, perl or whatever), you send along the data
like this:
Content-type: multipart/x-mixed-replace;boundary=boundary
boundary
Content-type:<type of data to follow>
data piece
boundary
Content-type:<type of data to follow>
data piece
boundary
...
boundary
with the above encoding (x-mixed-replace) the next data piece will be
placed over the top of the current, so you can get cheap animation.
also note that you (have to) specify the Content-type for each data
piece, that can work to your advantage - send bits of text, images,
sounds, whatever, and have fun.
that help?
got an application for it? need help with that?
sgd
(sdexter@shl.com or @art.net ... whatever floats your skirt)