title: SWT vs AWT in image file process performance?
body: <p>In server side image process, should I use AWT or SWT?</p>
  
  <p>I think AWT maybe too abstract away from the actual image data bits, so I guess SWT maybe slightly faster.</p>
  
  <p>Or do you suggest another open source image process library? (BSD or Apache licensed)</p>
  
  <p>The server is running Ubuntu 11.04.</p>
  
  <p>Requirements:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Read/write image from/to stream instead of files.</li>
  <li>The image type is given as parameter rather then guess from extension.
  (This is optional if it can determine the image type from the header bytes.)</li>
  <li>Support of JPG, PNG, GIF.</li>
  <li>(Bonus) Support of Animated GIF.</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Use cases:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Generate thumbnails.</li>
  <li>Add some banner texts.</li>
  <li>Add cryptic image watermark and validation.</li>
  </ul>