Today Flash already become one of the most popular method to add animation and interactivity to the web. I believe most of the computer out there that connected to the Internet already have Flash Player installed so they can view any Flash content in any website. Most of these Flash content created using Adobe Flash software and the latest one at this moment is Adobe Flash CS4.

Adobe Flash is a great software to have but the price is consider a bit expensive and not all people can afford it. For now it only available for Windows and Mac platform. The question here is, what if we can’t afford to buy Adobe Flash software or we are a few people that use Unix platform like Linux? Is there any alternative for us to create wonderful Flash content without paying for expensive software or leaving the wonderful Linux to install Windows/Mac? Well…the answer is YES. You still have the alternative for Adobe Flash software and good news is it’s free. When talk about free alternative Open Source software/tool is always the answer. I already spend my time looking for the best and reliable alternative and below are the list.

Swfmill

Swfmill is a free command line tool that will generate SWF file base on the XML you wrote. Of course it is not as easy as Adobe Flash IDE but Swfmill still capable to allow you to do simple animation and create a SWF file contain the library asset that can be use in other project.

Flex 3 SDK

Flex SDK is release by Adobe to Open Source community base on Adobe Flash platform. With Flex SDK you program with Action Script and do whatever Adobe Flash IDE can do. Combine with Swfmill you can create complete and complex Flash content without spending any dime.

FlashDevelop

FlashDevelop is an IDE that can be use by programmer to write Action Script and it integrated with Flex SDK to compile and create SWF file. For now FlashDevelop only Windows platform. For Unix or Linux user you can use Eclipse and an alternative IDE.

Above are the software/tool that I use to create my Flash content. Of course it is not as easy as Adobe Flash software and it more suitable to programmer rather then animator. The best way to use both where your animator can still use Adobe Flash IDE to create wonderful and complex animation and you can use above open source software/tool to integrate what your animator has done with your Action Script code and make a wonder Flash game.