| iFrames could be a powerful website design tool is | | | | Using frames which contains third-party information |
| utelized properly. | | | | can raise issues of infringement of copyrights and |
| The issue of website usability has garnered much | | | | trademarks. |
| attention today. In fact, there have been laws and | | | | Bookmarks |
| legal moves against website developers who wouldn't | | | | Visitors usually cannot mark the particular frame that |
| take into consideration the wide range of people who | | | | he wants when using framed websites. The basic |
| will be viewing their websites. | | | | structure of frames deviates from the normal |
| The issue of usability has been founded on the | | | | structure of unification of the website. This can |
| context that there are a lot of people who are | | | | cause problems in bookmarking. |
| disabled or impaired in some way. In America alone, | | | | Search engines |
| there are 1 out of 5 people who are disabled in one | | | | Search engines encounter problems when indexing |
| way or another. | | | | framed sites. This is a result of the frames paradox. |
| The Internet has provided us with ways to | | | | The spiders of the search engines are drawn to |
| communicate, interact, exchange information and do | | | | what developers refer to as black hole pages. |
| business. It is a pertinent tool in providing much | | | | Over-all usability |
| needed avenues for accessing these things especially | | | | Surfers may become confused with the structuring |
| for people who are disabled. This is why usability has | | | | of a website which uses frames. The provision of |
| been a pressing issue in terms of website | | | | multiple scrollbars will definitely add to the problem. If |
| development. | | | | a designer hides the scrollbars, the contents of the |
| Frames and website usability | | | | website may become inaccessible. |
| One of the ways which can increase the usability of | | | | Advantages in Using Frames |
| a website is the proper use of frames. Frames | | | | There are also some key advantages in using frames. |
| basically segment the browser into different portion | | | | Many people are still lured to use frames in their |
| and each portion is independent from the others. | | | | websites and listed below are some of the |
| There are two major schools of thought when it | | | | explanations why they are inclined to do so: |
| comes to the use of frames: one that says frames | | | | Ease in designing |
| should not be used and one that says that there are | | | | One of the key features of the usage of frames in |
| advantages to using frames in website development. | | | | websites is that it makes the job easier for the |
| This article tries to give guidance on the use of | | | | developer. When a developer employs frames, he is |
| frames in website development. The ultimate aim of | | | | relieved of the task of putting the logos and |
| website development is to make it easier for more | | | | navigation menu on every single page that he will |
| people to use the website, whether with the use of | | | | develop. Frames can contain these information and |
| frames or without them. | | | | need not to be copied every time a user clicks |
| Why not use frames? | | | | another page of the site. |
| There are a lot of negative thoughts when it comes | | | | Flexibility |
| to the use of frames in websites. Here are some of | | | | Frames provide a surfer several mini-browsers which |
| them: | | | | he can view all at the same time. This allows for |
| Printing | | | | more flexibility in terms of getting more work done |
| There have been much complaints about printing web | | | | or getting more information for a single viewing of |
| pages that are framed. Internet browsers seem to | | | | the webpage. |
| select the frame to be sent to the printer randomly. | | | | Quicker downloads |
| The user cannot usually print the frame that he | | | | With the use of frames, different site contents need |
| wants because the computer selects the frame | | | | not be downloaded every time a click is made. This |
| which is the focal point of the webpage. | | | | makes downloading much easier because contents |
| Downloading | | | | that should be re-downloaded need not be |
| Many newbies in the field of website development | | | | downloaded because they are contained in a |
| employs frames to be able to cut the downloading | | | | different frame. |
| time of their websites. This can only be achieved if | | | | These are just some of the features and perceived |
| the right ways of presenting the content are | | | | disadvantages of the use of frames. They can be |
| achieved. Other contents such as style sheets, | | | | used as long as the developer knows how to fully |
| images and scripts are recommended to be cached. | | | | maximize the potential of frames without making |
| Linking | | | | them a problem for the surfers. |