Why Frames are not Supported at MIT
Frames divide a page into separate scrollable windows for viewing multiple HTML pages simultaneously.
MIT web pages, as distinct from personal web pages, communicate mission-critical information to the largest targeted audience possible. The use of frames reduces the audience for MIT information. The Web Communications Services group strongly recommends you do not use frames and suggests using tables or CSS for all page layout.
Why do people use frames?
- Each frame can load information independent of the other frames on the page.
- Long documents can scroll in a window.
- Elements you want to remain constant, such as table of contents, menu/navigators, and title graphics can be placed in a static, individual frame that is always displayed.
Reasons not to use frames.
- Search engines do not index the content of frames well.
- Pages can be opened independently of surrounding "frameset" pages confusing users.
- Bookmarks capture the top-level (frameset) page, but not the pages loaded into the frames.
- Frames don't usually print the way the screens look.
- Frames are more difficult to maintain. It's hard to keep track of the files and what happens when. For instance, the number of files for each frames page is the number of windows+frameset page (usually 3-4 pages), not counting a possible text-only version of your site.
- Older browsers don't support frames.
Suggested reading.
