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Lawrence

Ok, two silly questions coming up.
1. Why are frames user unfriendly?
2. What, specifically, do you mean by 'back-button' pages?

Kate

Framed pages when used badly are a scourge (Even though the control panel on VB forums use them). They destroy your SEO and make site navigation a pain with extra unnecessary scroll bars. Even if you don't mind that yourself the simple fact that so many net users detest them should tell you not to use them if you're trying to sell something to the general public.

There's even a I hate frames club!

IHFC

If you are trying to sell something on your site then it's not a very good idea to add elements that annoy so many people.

A no back button script is a bit of JavaScript that prevents you from using your browser's back navigation button effectively locking you in the page. If a site does that to me then I will not give them my business out of principle.

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Lawrence

Right, understood. In my own case I use a scroll bar on only one page which shows external urls onsite, but it isn't a selling site which is probably why I get away with it.

Ah, so that's what happens. Like you if I land on one I never go back.

So - that leaves Merlin. Where did you find him?

Kate

Framed pages can have certain uses as in the example I quoted above, this very forum uses them for it's control panel but if you use them on a normal page visable to your users then not only do you have the disadvantages mentioned above but you are also unable to bookmark or print the page.

I'm surprised you've never seen the Merlin character, he was quite fashionable on eBay listings a while back. He's a little pop up 3D character that floats around your page talking to you and making strange noises when he appears and disappears, though as a Mac user you possibly haven't had to endure him as he's a Microsoft invention so you will probably have to use IE to suffer him. You can find out more about him by Googling "Microsoft agent!

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Lawrence

The two examples you give would be drawbacks for a selling site but are exactly what I need. If printing were allowed it would put me in breach of copyright, and bookmarking would be a waste of time since the information contained in the frame changes regularly. Anyone who wanted to do either of those things would need to use the direct link which is always available to them.

Nope, I've never seen a Merlin floating around on Ebay. Was it a choice made available to sellers, or did Ebay themselves set it up?

Kate

It wasn't anything to do with eBay, it was sellers inserting the code themselves.

It's exactly the same as the little "helper" character that pops up to annoy you when using MS Office products.

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Lawrence

Argh! Say no more. I hate that stupid office assistant!

Kate

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Lawrence

Ok. That does it. You're off the Christmas card list...

Frames are cool... frames R US!

l agree with the highlighted comments. Intro pages should be short and informative if you feel the need. Some ebay people use a merlin cursor l hate that and its very annoying and back off very quickly

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Wendy xx

www.wendysaffordableweddings.co.uk

Any kind of introduction is so bad! People use internet for its speed (compared to real world's stores) and everything must be done with speed in mind. Why making people do extra clicks?
This is also the reason why I hate the 'Checkout | Continue shopping' pages! Man I hate it! Just show me my cart in the corner and I'll look into it myself!!! When I need it!!!