Website and Graphic Design
Website and Graphic Design
This article was first published on July 13, 1998.
If you do not know already, Frames split up a Web browser window into two or more sections. Frames are often used to ease the navigation of a Web site by providing links that are always visible (as they are on NEW Direction).
However, Frames are what some people consider to be frustrating, time wasting and pointless, probably because there are a lot of Web sites that use Frames to cram in as much content into a single window as possible, the end result being a screen full of confusing clutter, cropped paragraphs and graphics and too many scroll bars.
One example was when I found my screen being split up into five sections. I sat their very, very patiently as each Frame downloaded its content and graphics. I clicked on a link in one of the sections and the Frames totally disappeared and Frames were not used again during my visit to this particular Site. The only phrase that entered my head on that occasion was, "what a waste of time," actually it may have been something less polite. Maybe that was what the designer had thought after creating the first page, and that is why they were not used on that particular site again.
More recently came across a similar Site that used Frames on the home page, once a link had been selected a new set of Frames had to be downloaded. This was particularly disappointing as the Site belonged to a Web Design company, which will remain nameless.
The advertising banner syndrome is annoying too, a Frame whose sole purpose in life is to monotonously reload various adverts.
Despite overuse and poor utilisation of Frames they can be used enhance a Web Site. As mentioned earlier, the navigation of a Web site can be made much easier by using Frames. However, like most other aspects of Web design, Frames do have limitations that need to be considered. The most important factor to be aware of is the fact that not all Web browser software can handle Frames or that some people do not have Frames enabled. By ignoring this fact you will lose a lot of visitors to your Web site, which might be potential customers if the site is promoting a product or service. Easy steps can be taken to make a site that uses a simple Frame setup for navigation compatible with older or Frame-disabled browsers.
Frames require more than one HTML file to download which ultimately adds to the time it take for a page to appear on the screen. A window which is split into three sections using Frames needs to download four separate files, one for the file that defines the Frames, and tell the Web browser their size, and the other three for each section in the browser window, not to mention any graphic files that need to be downloaded. This is obviously an important consideration as people do not like waiting for a Web page to appear on their screens.
To conclude Frames can be very useful or they can make a Web page very ugly and confusing, they do not work with all Web browsers and they can add significantly to download times. It is easy to make Web sites that do not work when introducing Frames, at least, sites that won't work for everyone. Use the NOFRAMES tag to make your site browser friendly by including the code from your main home page within them. This is far better than the common code found there which displays the unfriendly demand to download the latest software.
Frames are useful; find a purpose for them and utilise them, but please do not become an aggressor of Digital Discrimination, make sure your site is no-frames friendly.
September 7, 2010
