SWF is a file format for web animation, originally called FutureSplash Animator. Macromedia bought it in 1996, renamed it Flash and developed it into a multimedia development environment. SWF can deliver vector graphics, video, text and audio over the Internet with Adobe Flash Player and AIR software. It was reimagined as a “Small Web Format” due to confusion with Shockwave. The controversy arose when Apple excluded Flash CS5 release from iPhone app development.
SWF is a file format extension. It was originally developed in 1995 for the Netscape® plug-in API (Application Programming Interface) to allow web browsers to play animations without using Java®. The plug-in, designed for simple drawing and animation on the web, was originally called FutureSplash Animator and the development company was called FutureWave®. The developers unsuccessfully attempted to sell the software to Adobe® and rejected Fractal Design®, releasing the software in 1996.
In the summer of 1996, Microsoft® used FutureSplash® in the launch of MSN® (MicroSoft Network) and Disney® Online, which was working with Macromedia® Shockwave® in other functions, used FutureSplash® for its Disney® Daily Blast. This is how Macromedia® learned about the product and later, in 1996, Macromedia® bought it, renamed the product Flash® and developed it into a complete multimedia development environment.
Because Macromedia® has used the web plug-in called ShockWave® for several multimedia products, including Flash®, the Flash MIME type is application/x-shockwave-flash. The file designation was created to be SWF, which stands for “ShockWave Flash”. Shockwave®, however, is a separate authoring package, and due to the confusion, and in conjunction with Adobe®’s 2005 purchase of Macromedia®, SWF was reimagined as a “Small Web Format”. The SWF format can deliver vector graphics, video, text and audio over the Internet with the support of Adobe® Flash® Player and Adobe AIR software. Estimates in early 2010 stated that 70-80% of video material on the Internet was in Flash® format, or SWF files, and that over 98% of Internet-enabled desktop computers had the Flash® Player.
SWF is the native export format for Adobe® Flash® media authoring software, but other files can be converted to SWF format using converters or converted from SWF format to other formats. A controversy surrounding the SWF file format arose in the spring of 2010 when Apple® amended the iPhone® developer license agreement to specify that iPhone® apps must originally be written in an Apple® approved programming language. This excludes development on the 2010 Flash® CS5 release, which was specifically designed to allow developers to build apps in Flash® and port them to other platforms.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
