networkshit without fucking up the interface?

["Kent Nyberg (Telia)" <blurk telia com>]

Hello!
Is it possible to use alot of networkfunctions in a 
C/Gtk+/Gnome program without making the interface unusable
when the network-functions are running?
Like, i press a button to read alot of things from a tcp connection but i still want the interafce to be 
usable.

I do recall reading that bad code can do this.. make the interace unusable.
Can some one tell me if im right or wrong.. ? :)

Maybe doing some kind of threading will help me? 
I have never done threading so i dont realy know what to do :)

Have a nice day!