HTML & XHTML: The Complete Reference (Osborne Complete Reference Series)

Web page layout using HTML tags is really not appropriate, but until the rise of CSS, frames were often used as both navigational and presentational elements. While frames can provide great power in making sophisticated layouts, it comes with a great price. Navigational confusion, printing mishaps, and design problems can all result from the misuse of frames. However, when frames are used properly (for example, to provide a fixed table of contents or navigation aid), they are a valuable addition to the page designer's arsenal. Because of their power and popularity, frames finally are included in the HTML and XHTML specifications, so you shouldn't have to worry about their future use. Although frames can be used to create impressive and dynamic layouts, similar effects can be achieved using less troubling technology ”particularly style sheets, which are discussed in Chapters 10 and 11.