Can map server send feature data/vector data to the client?

[Andrea Edwards]

Hello

I was wondering if it was possible in mapserver to send raw vector/feature
data to the client's web browser?

In the standard model for internet web mapping applications each pan/zoom
operation sends a request to the server and a new map is redrawn. I was
wondering if it was possible to cut down on some of the processing time by
sending the vector data to the client and then processing the maps on the
client side.

I also thought that this might not be possible because of the sheer size of
the vector data that you would have to send to the client. You would also
have to make sure the vector data was removed from the client's machine as
it would violate your licensing agreement for the map data if it was left
on someone else's machine (well it would mine anyway).

I was wondering what people's thoughts were on this issue.

Also does the jbox javca applet process vector data on the client?

Many thanks for your help
andrea