Abstract: A multi-media content playback system capable of autonomous operation in a virtual program format includes a memory store providing for the storage of a plurality of digital content, a player interface supporting the transfer of a digital content stream to a content player and for receiving user input, and a content control system coupled between the memory store and the player interface. The content control system includes a network proxy that is coupleable through a network to a content server and a control file server and a program control system that is responsive to the programmatic evaluation of a control file. Based on the autonomous evaluation of a control file, digital content is selectively transferred from the content server to the memory store. The control file further defines a dynamic program order for selectively streaming the plurality of digital content from the last-element cache through the player interface as the digital content stream.