Explain recordset

I'm trying to figure out the way recordsets are handled with php and mysql.After I issue a query to the Db with $result = mysql_query ($query) is the recordset contained in $result or is this just a pointer.I want a persistant recordset on the client computer that can be manipulated without going to the server.Is this possable.fetchrow seems to go to the server each time or am i wrong? Thanks Mike P mpeloso@princeton.edu