Frames and Pop-ups
The use of frames and pop-up windows, although undesirable in terms of pure search engine optimization, nevertheless have a place in the repertore of web design.
So long as the entire web site is not entirely enveloped in frames, there are certainly instances where the concern for surfing convenience would favour using frames for certain parts of a web site.
An example would be sub-menu pages contain a list of items that need to be explained by short concise descriptions. The best solution for this is to use a frames page where the list is framed on the usual left side and the descriptions in the centre frame.
this way, clicking on a link in the items list will show its description in the centre frame without the inconvenience of clicking back and forth between web pages.
Pop-up windows are generally viewed as a nuisance by surfers due to exploitation of this method to show advertisements "in your face" which the surfer did not ask for.
Sometimes these pop-ups occupy the entire viewing screen and also generate other pop-ups ad infinitum, such that the surfer has to shut down his computer to escape from them. This is not desirable.
However, a small pop-up window that does not entirely block the underlying web page can be used tastefully to enhance the surfing experience.
An example of this is for displaying individual images or captions, where clicking on a thumbnailed image or tag line will pop-up a small window containg the larger version of that image or description.
This is an action that the surfer initiates voluntarily, and is not forced upon him. Again, this adds to surfing convenience by relieving the necessity to click back and forth between web pages. The underlying web page is visible for the whole time, and the pop-up window can be closed easily without further pop-ups appearing.
Conclusion
When using frames or pop-up windows, the paramount concern should be to enhance the surfing experience of the surfer while he is at your web site.
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