Typically, a plug-in analyzes the data passed back from each tuner and uses that information to personalize the channel for each subscriber. An example is a bank channel including a customer's own account balances in his or her version of the channel. Marimba also offers Castanet repeaters, which you can use to increase transmission capacity and local presence anywhere on the Internet. By adding repeaters, you can scale transmission capacity from a hundred subscribers to many thousands, even millions, and provide fast response anywhere in the world. There's no need to download files or send email requesting information.
Channels update themselves automatically and invisibly in the background.
There's no need to constantly monitor URLs for updates. Channels are unlike Web sites in that the user can continue to use them when they're not connected, since the information is stored on the user's disk. The fully developed Java applications you can transmit with Castanet can enrich the user experience far beyond applets. Applications can range from simple utilities to CD-quality dynamic, interactive multimedia. Since Castanet allows for local storage in a secure directory, users can operate offline, which makes Castanet perfect for users of handheld and portable computers.