Is there a max SWF size?#

No there isn;t a specific maximum SWF size. There are config settings in Flash that set a maximum amount of memory the Flash player can allocate. If a SWF creates more then that, it will fail.

Is it faster to load compressed or uncompressed SWFs?#

It depends on how fast your processor is (and its load) compared to the pipe (file system, network) that is feeding it. This is a system configuration question?

What are the best practices for reducing SWF load times?#

The smaller the SWF the better. If the objective is to get to first frame paint, then the simpler the graphics and the code in the first frame the better. Additional elements should be loaded after the fact on an as needed basis.

Are there any differences between typed and untyped variables with regards to performance?#

Will there be any performance increases for AS2 execution in Flash Lite 4#

No, for AS2 its the same execution engine as is in Flash Lite 3.

Will there be any performance increases in rendering in Flash Lite 4?#

Yes, the rendering engine has had some improvements, such as cache as bitmap will be supported. Of course your milage may vary. Both AS2 and AS3 content will benefit from this. The rendering engine is largely the same as Flash Lite 3 though.

Are there different font renders for embedded fonts versus device fonts?#

Yes. Device fonts use Font Fusion, and embedded fonts use Flash Vectors. Device fonts have better performance.

Are there any plans to create a plug-in for access to the font server?#

Not at this time. There are APIs in Actionscript that are independent of the underlying font technology that can provide the width of a specific text, or other text size information. You can get the width and heigh of the text and make your decisions as needed.