Frames in Database searching functions

[vaughnk1 at westatpo.westat.com]

I like framed pages:

1. which draw my eye to the primary content (sometimes called the "body frame" I
think).  When the peripheral or navigation or entertainment frames distract one 
from absorbing the primary content (be that art or facts in writing, or 
whatever) then frames are a nuisance.  Not a firm line I am drawing here I know.
Perhaps though, many of us have some common sense of when our eye is pulled in 
multiple directions. A medium sized gray area here would be adequate specificity
for frames usage guidelines? [Purpose would suggest where in the gray area.  If 
your main purpose is 'attitude' then your site might look like the top level 
page(s) of Hotwired. I notice that when I move down a few levels to articles the
pages are much less busy and easier to focus on.]

2. where the secondary frames (navigation, etc) do NOT take up inordinate screen
acreage.  For fun, I'll say: keep below 40% and in most cases 20% would be 
better.  Utterly untested percentages here; nobody get excited. 

3. which provide clear navigation, illustration or expansion of the current 
primary intellectual content.


well, that should leave a few framed pages on the web ;-}
hope my thoughts aren't too vague

ken
* Kenneth Vaughn ~~~~~~~~~~  LIBRARIAN K  ~~~~~~~~~~ Tech Srvcs Libr *
*       Westat, Inc. 1650 Research Blvd. Rockville MD 20850          *
* vaughnk1 at westat.com  =  voice: 301-294-2881  =  fax: 301-294-2034  *


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Frames in Database searching functions
Author:  jahb at Lehigh.EDU at internet-e-mail Date:    7/2/97 10:24 AM


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, You can't live with 'em 
and you just can't shoot 'em... Men, talking 'bout Men..."