Frames in Database searching functions

[Jennifer Heise]

Let me start by saying "I HATE FRAMES. They are blocky, silly, confusing, and
make pages hard to use."

Now:

At ALA I saw a number of web database projects using frames. The most striking
was the prototype for OCLC's Webz version 4.0 Out of the Box Interface (due to
be released in the first quarter of 1998). Another was the Congressional
Quarterly.

In general, four to five frames were used:
    - menu bar at top
    - search history or results list at left
    - results or record at right
    - bookmarks, help, etc at bottom

Much as I hate frames, this seems to me to be a useful implementation of
frames concept, one that can't easily be done another way.

First, what do other people think about this use of frames?

Second, what guidelines can we set up that would ensure that frames are only
used when appropriate and only in the most appropriate way (if we are going to
use them?

Thanks.

Jennifer Heise,                             Net: jahb at lehigh.edu    \
Senior Specialist, Web Management, Lehigh Univ. Info. Resources   / /
My opinions are my own. No one else would HAVE them anyway.       \

"You can't beat 'em up cause they're bigger than you,
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