Frames - noframes  
basics
targeting
nesting
esthetics
< noframes >
bad things
quick recap
tags
epilogue 		      Some older browsers don't do frames; some can switch them off. Text browsers have no use for frames either. All they get out of a frame set is an empty window. To overcome this, the NOFRAMES tags were invented. Everything between these tags is ignored by a frames capable browser. Older browsers don't recognize the frame tags. They don't reckognize the NOFRAMES tag either. It's a standard in HTML to ignore tags that are unknown, and just move on.

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>A simple frame set</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<FRAMESET>
<FRAME SRC="page.html">
<NOFRAMES>
<BODY>
Put an alternative page here.
</BODY>
</NOFRAMES>
 </FRAMESET>
</HTML>

    So everything inside the NOFRAMES tag will be displayed in a non frames capable browser. Or if the browser is set not to display frames. You wouldn't believe the lame things people dare to put in this space. Often there is just a stupid message saying the site uses frames. The visitor better get a frames capable browser. Often with a link to Netscape or Microsoft. Duh! As if they did not know that. Your visitors are not idiots. Well, in most cases, that is.
    Something you may not realize either. Search engine robots don't understand frames. So all they will see is the NOFRAMES message. Are you sure 'sorry' is all you have to say to a search engine? Because that is what will be indexed, instead of your site.
    It might be a better idea to create an alternative page in the NOFRAMES section. Nothing too fancy, just some text and a set of links to the other pages on your site. Framed pages should always at least contain a link back to your home page. Otherwise they are just dead ends. Did you know search engines don't index dead end pages? This way your visitors will always be able to view your site. Even if they don't have a proper browser.