Death of HTML Frameset 2021

By Xah Lee. Date: .

Javadoc No Longer Uses Frames

javadoc no more frames 2021-07-29
javadoc no more frames 2021-07-29

This closes a chapter of HTML 4 frameset. [see HTML: Frameset to Split Windows]

HTML 4 frameset had a life about y2k to 2010. In ~2008 the new kid in town HTML5 of the wtf-group began, killed it. Lead by Google propaganda, all the web elites saying it create usability problems and search engine problems. The gurus denounce it and stop using it.

But actually, HTML frameset is truly one of the greatest HTML tech for user interface. To this day, the fancy CSS+JavaScript cannot do anything close to frameset. (ever had the problem where the nav panel annoying flashes and regenerate when you switch a page, positioned incorrectly, and hard to tell which page is current because each site uses a different way to indicate it, some collapsable tree, others not.)

However, Java, the most pop lang that was dying but resurrected due to Google, first in y2k when Google start, then in 2008 or so due to Google Android, still heavily relies on HTML 4 frameset. As long as Java's Javadoc remain dominant, frameset won't get fucked as web tech.

But now, its days are numbered.