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CDF Short for channel definition format, a specification developed by Microsoft that allows Web publishers to push content at users. Once a user subscribes to a CDF channel, any software that supports the CDF format will automatically receive new content posted on the channel's Web server.

Announced in March, 1997, CDF has received wide backing from the Internet community, with the notable exception of Netscape Communications. Microsoft has announced that Version 4.0 of its Internet Explorer browser will support CDF, and PointCast has also announced that it will support the CDF format. Microsoft has sent the specification to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) for standardization.