Difference between flash and shockwave?

Yes, I'm a moron, or at least new to web multimedia. So what's the difference between an swf and a fla?
Does one have advantages?

Well the fla. file is your file that you can keep working on. The swf.file is unchangable.. It's would you load up to the web for people to see...


CARP

also, Shockwave is a director file made with Macromedia Director. It's like the grandaddy of flash. it can do anything. Flash is better for quick animation and small games, and web sites.. Alot faster to work in


CARP

So are flash files made using flash and swf files made using director?
Can you make any flash file, like the ones on this site, using flash software alone?

.swf's and .fla's are Flash files
and director uses .dir files i think

.fla file is like not compiled program
(it's the file you are working on with flash)

.swf it's the compiled file
(it's like the ziped up version of .fla)
(also you upload .swf's to the web)

also swf's are called: "macromedia shockwave flash"
and directors: "shockwave"