Patent ID: 8533609

Claim:
A method executed over a distributed computer network comprising: scheduling at a server device a network-based media event; sending a client device a message inviting an attendee to attend the network-based media event; receiving, at a registration time, a response to the message agreeing to attend the network-based media event; and transferring to the client device at the registration time, executable program code that includes information identifying a scheduled time of the media event, the executable program code configured to: compare a system time to the media event scheduled time identified in the executable program code; and automatically launch, without user intervention, an Internet browser on the client device for presentation of the media event when a predetermined difference between the system time and the media event scheduled time is reached, wherein the executable program code transferred to the client device automatically launches the Internet browser when the Internet browser is not already running on the client device; wherein the media event includes a data stream broadcast produced by the server device, the data stream broadcast including at least one of data encoded during production of the data stream broadcast and data previously encoded, the data stream broadcast including a data channel for instructing a portion of the media event.