Streaming media allows you to send small packets of information over a network connection. The user receives the information packets and plays your video and/or audio clip little by little. The process is transparent to the user, except for a small amount of buffering (storing of information) at the start of the clip.
Before streaming media became a reality, users had to wait for a media file to download entirely from the Internet or from a network server before that file could start playing. However with streaming media, users can view and/or hear the file almost instantly. For more information regarding the streaming of RealMedia files, please visit RealNetworks.