Frames--What's the big deal?

[Cedar Falls Public Library Acct #1]

On Mon, 5 Feb 1996, Thomas Dowling wrote:

> >> 
> >> Think of a Web browser as a remotely programmable user interface.  Frames
> >> is a mechanism that allows separation of the data and the user interface
> >> controls.  Much cleaner, much more stable for data (providers don't have to
> >> keep updating their data files as the user interface changes).
> 
> Yes, but...
> 
> Web browsers were originally built to be document presentation
> mechanisms, not remotely programmable user interfaces.  (You may 
> remember some suggestions that you would add structure to your 
> document and let my browser render it as the browser-and I-see fit.)  
> One problem database providers are running into is that getting a web 
> browser to do what they want requires so much pulling and tweaking 
> and let's-use-this-tag-since-it-looks-good-on-Netscape-ing that the 
> browser ends up being used for what it wasn't designed for.

I agree but I also think that maybe remotely programmable
interfaces were what was needed and not just a system to
tag texts for the purposes of information retrieval
at a distance.  I think the original purpose of html may
[I say "may" carefully as one who is semi-informed would]
have included recognition of the idea that such tagging
could assist interface and that visual display _is_ 
part of the communication of information but I sense 
that there has been a polarization of many people over 
this issue since html's inception.  Personally, I see
graphic information as being just as important and as 
"informative" as text and that the use or abuse of the
graphical browsers as a natural consequence of the fact
that different learning styles are preferred by different
humans.  The biggest limitation I found in the beginning
of working with Netscape and Mosaic was really html's
limitation:  that of adherence to the codex page metaphor.
Actually, it was more limited than that.  At least 
printers who used lead had the option of locking up with
blank furniture!

(Hope this isn't out of the scope of the list -- apologies
if so.) 

--Barb
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Barbara Dunn                       "...A GEEK librarian or a 
Technical Services Librarian        tortured POET librarian?
Cedar Falls Public Library          You a one wacko freaky
524 Parkade                         crazzzy passionate 
Cedar Falls, IA 50613               disfunctional somewhat
(319)273-8643                       skittso librarian..."
CFPL00 at IREN.NET				--Annie Niemus
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