.SNM File Extension
Netscape Mail Index
| Developer | Netscape Communications Corporation |
| Popularity |
3.5 | 4 Votes |
What is an SNM file?
An SNM file is an index file used by several discontinued email programs, such as Netscape Messenger and Netscape Collabra, to organize and manage email messages in a user's mailbox. It stores a reference to each email, allowing the program to locate and display messages quickly without scanning the entire mailbox each time. While no longer used, SNM files were important at the time for improving efficiency in email clients.
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Netscape Messenger and Collabra were used primarily in the late 1990s and early 2000s when Netscape was a popular web browser and software suite. Netscape Messenger (part of Netscape Communicator, later renamed "Netscape Browser") allowed users to send, receive, and manage email, much like modern email clients such as Outlook or Thunderbird.
Netscape Collabra allowed users to subscribe to and participate in discussions within various newsgroups across the Internet. Messenger and Collabra users likely never encountered SNM files since the programs automatically created, updated, and referenced them in the background.
How to open an SNM file
SNM files are not meant to be opened. Instead, the Netscape program that creates them, updates, and references them automatically. Both Messenger and Netscape Collabra are discontinued.
Programs that open or reference SNM files
Smush Animation
| Developer | LucasArts |
| Popularity |
2.0 | 1 Vote |
An SNM file may also be a video used in a LucasArts video game. It contains a scene played within the game. SNM files cannot be played by most popular media players.
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In the 1990s, LucasArts developer Vince Lee created a full-motion video format called Smush Animation, or SAN. LucasArts used the SAN video codec to create compressed videos used within a number of video games. Some of these videos were saved in the SNM file format. Notably, Grim Fandango, Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance, and Star Wars: Force Commander used SNM files.
NOTE: Smush Animation files were also saved in the .SAN file format.
How to open an SNM file
Because SNM files are quite rare, most popular media players cannot play them.