server push to desktop client

[Phil Davis]

I need to make a desktop app (Mac only for now) that receives pushed 
data from a LC server. I've never done this - all the desktop <-> server 
interactions I've programmed have used the traditional client-server 
model. So I'm looking for approaches/tips/ideas from anyone who has 
experience with other approaches.

I'm not sure what protocol to use.

And maybe I'm making it too hard. Can FTP watch a server folder, and 
detect and respond to the creation of a file in the folder? Maybe I 
could use a method like that, if that's a capability of FTP.

Thanks for any input you may offer.

-- 
Phil Davis
503-307-4363