Vector and Bitmap files:

Vector graphics files contain a series of coordinates and all the information necessary to draw the graphic.  Vector graphic files must be edited by a vector graphics editor.  For example, Adobe Illustrator can be used to edit vector graphics files in AI format.  Bitmap graphics files contain a series of “boxes” that contain information about the color that will be used to display that box.  For example, if you take the ICO (icon) file Lynda.ico from our Learning Flash CD and loaded it into a bitmap editor such as Microsoft Visual Studio.net you would see an array of boxes of size 48 by 48.  If you changed some of these boxes to a red color, you could give Lynda a rash on her face. If you try to make Lynda.ico much bigger than icon size, the image would become blurred.  If you make a vector graphic bigger, there is enough information available in the file to redraw the graphic in a larger size without blurring. 

For most graphics, vector graphics files are significantly smaller than bitmap graphics files.  This means that vector graphics can be delivered over the Internet faster than bitmap graphics files.  Unfortunately, Web Browsers support only bitmap graphics.  Special software in addition to the Web Browser is required to render vector graphics.  One example of such special software is the Flash software that plugs in to Web Browsers

The following link gives a good explanation of the differences between bitmap and vector graphics and lists the major file types used to represent each.

http://graphicdesign.about.com/library/weekly/aa042398.htm

The following link gives a more comprehensive list of bitmap and vector file type examples: http://graphicssoft.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9644/vector.html%23Vetor

Flash files vs. HTML files:

HTML files are “simple” text files that can be directly interpreted by a Web Browser.  A Flash file is in a special format defined by Macromedia.  It is interpreted by software provided by Macromedia.  To get a Flash file to appear in a Web Browser window, you generally send a small HTML file to the browser.  This file contains the name of the Flash file to be displayed by the Macromedia software.  The Macromedia software then interprets and displays the Flash File

Flash fla files vs. Flash swf files:

A Flash file of type “fla” is the file that you edit with the Macromedia flash editor.  A Flash file of type “swf” is a very compressed version of the “fla” file.  The swf file is the file sent over the Internet and “played” by the Macromedia software located on the client machine.