To frame or not to frame?

[rhowes]

Hi All

I have developed a web based application using HTML, Javascript, PHP and MySQL. We initially developed it with two frames, a top frame with a menu and "toolbar", and a bottom frame with the actual "application" screens.

We are now looking at removing the frames and going with a non-frames approach. This has simplified some things (like the DHTML menu which had to work across frames before), and complicated others (like we can't store Javascript "state" variables in the frameset page). Another complication with the non-frames approach is that the whole "top frame" now needs to be loaded with each page.

So (and I have asked this many times) what would the experts on this list do? Bear in mind the following:

- It is an application not a web site
- It is a closed community of users (so, for instance, we only have to support IE not multiple browsers)
- Speed is important (being an app people use daily and becuse we are in South Africa with low/expensive bandwidth)

We have invested a fortune in time and money and will be investing much more. This is a crucial decision and this is a very important decision for the future.

You thoughts all?

Thanks in advance.
Regards

Richard

 

[deecee]

if it ain't broke why fix? sigh

 

[marcbrown]

I recommend starting from scratch rather than attempting to change the existing app. If you're serious about investing alot more time you could expect that to pay off more so than "fixing something that ain't broke"

 

[rhowes]

Hi All

Thanks for the advice.

To deecee: The problem is that the frames version seems to be very slow (to load three frames). There is also the issue of trying to get DHTML menu's to work across frames. And finally there is the fact that frames seems to have security issues, and everyone says NO-FRAMES! ;-)

To marcbrown: I hear you on starting from scratch, however what would you do? Frames or no-frames?

Thanks.
Cheers

Richard