A word about frames
and the design principles of this site.

The slogan of this site used to be, "No frames here - ever!" Well, I have softened that stance somewhat, but not much. Perhaps the new slogan should be, "You will see no frames here, - ever!" Frames are used in a few instances, but I have tried to be judicious about it, and I have attempted to keep them invisible. For instance, my "Online News," though it appears to be a page at this site, is actually a framed version of a news feed from a service I subscribe to, FreeWires from  7 am News.  I hope you weren't thinking that I stayed up all night compiling the World's events! The crossword puzzle also uses frames because I couldn't think of any other way to do it.

I still feel strongly, that the general use of frames is inappropriate on this type of web site. Even worse, not releasing a visitor from your frames when they click on an external link is pure sleaze, in the same category as links that automatically connect when a mouse goes over them and almost as bad as the distribution of viruses. People who create sites like that are the worst kind of control freaks.

If I were the webmaster for the Census Bureau I would use frames because most visitors to that site are looking for specific data and the proper use of frames makes it easier for them to find what they are looking for. Here it is simple to find everything that is available by using the site search engine or the site map. Or you can just browse around the site and find some surprises as well. This site is designed primarily for your entertainment and amusement, not to aid you in writing some report.

You will find that most internal links and many external links open in a new window. (This is not always obvious at first glance with Netscape, which has a tendency to open the first new window full screen). The few instances where internal links open in the old window are by design. You wouldn't want a new opera to open while you were still listening to the previous on, for instance. You may want to maximize these new windows after they open for easier reading, but I think the concept of separate windows makes navigating this rather complex amalgam of web sites a lot easier. It incorporates some of the good aspects of frames without all the petty annoyances.

The design of this site is far from perfect, and there will always be a need to refine and improve things. If there are things that you would like to see changed or fixed please write to me and tell me about them. Nothing here is engraved in concrete. Your input is important. Without satisfied visitors this whole endeavor would be meaningless.

Write to Dick Casaly at  envelp.gif - 1664 Bytes rcasaly@albany.net