The delivery method in Active Channel, a technology for Microsoft Internet Explorer that allows Web content to be «webcast» to users. Channels deliver content to users Web browsers. The content is displayed as ordinary Web pages and can be viewed off line.
Channels are delivered to users by way of Microsoft's Channel Definition Format (CDF) technology. Channels can contain Hypertext Markup Language (HTML); Microsoft ActiveX controls; Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript); Java applets; and other dynamic Web elements. The channels that a user has subscribed to are listed as part of his or her channel bar.
See also: Channel Definition Format (CDF)