Websites using sIFR

✨ Facts about sIFR

1. sIFR stands for Scalable Inman Flash Replacement: sIFR is a technology that allows web developers to use custom fonts on their websites by replacing HTML text with dynamically generated Flash text. It was developed by Mike Davidson and Shaun Inman as a solution for web designers who want to use non-web-safe fonts without relying on images or other less efficient methods.

2. Enhances web typography: One of the main benefits of sIFR is that it provides an opportunity for designers to improve the typography of their websites. With sIFR, they can use a wide variety of fonts, even if these fonts are not available on the user's computer. This results in a more visually appealing and unique design.

3. Requires JavaScript and Flash: sIFR relies on both JavaScript and Adobe Flash to function properly. When a user accesses a webpage using sIFR, JavaScript identifies the font replacements needed and Flash generates the text. If a user has disabled JavaScript or does not have the Flash plugin, sIFR will not work and the original text in the default font will be displayed.

4. Graceful degradation: Although sIFR relies on JavaScript and Flash, it is designed to degrade gracefully. If a user's browser doesn't support either of these technologies, the webpage will be displayed with the standard CSS fallback fonts. This ensures that the content remains accessible to all users, regardless of the technology they are using.

5. Has been superseded by web fonts: With the introduction of web fonts and improved browser support for them, sIFR has become less popular in recent years. Web fonts provide a more efficient and accessible way of using custom fonts on a website, without relying on JavaScript or Flash. As a result, many web designers have moved away from sIFR and opted for web fonts instead.