A quick search of the Apache and World Wide Web Consortium doesn't show a
lot of interest in Push for a few years now.  Two companies come to mind are
PointCast and Marimba, but I believe their clients are free but they sell
the 'push servers'.

A potential Java solution would be to write an applet that registers with a
servlet running under MOD_JSERV on Apache.  The servlet could transmit new
messages and APB's to the applets.  You may be able to gut an existing Java
Chat program to your needs too.  (Many books on servlets have a chat
example.)

As far as XML, there is nothing special about XML related to push.  With
that said, XML is used in configuration files for some publish-subscribe
technologies like Microsoft's Channel Definition Format(CDF) and some news
syndication protocols (ICE, RSS).

HTH,

Mark Wonsil
4M Enterprises, Inc.

-----Original Message-----
From: HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Born, Ken
Sent: Monday, July 31, 2000 1:55 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [HP3000-L] Apache and "Push Technology"


Greetings,
I just completed an HTML page that will launch a PASCAL CGI exe on the
HP3000 and return the results to the Web Browser.  This is enough to make me
celebrate.  However, I want to go further and develop a Web Page that
"Pushes" data to the client browser.

Has anyone experimented with "Push Technology" using Apache?  The whole goal
would be to enable messages to be sent to certain client browsers.  I have
seen this technology on web pages like chat rooms and marquees or data
streams.  The application is for Police Systems where data is sent to
particular squad cars like all points bulletins and messages sent from the
station.

Should I be incorporating XML, or Java ?  Will FastCGI enable the
communication link to still be open and I could continue to push technology?


Any suggestions would be appreciated....
Thanks a bunch.....