Frames are fractions of the window you can see on the screen. The window can be cut into several independant parts by the webmaster. So a fixed frame can hold a title at the page top while the remaining of the window is another frame whose content may vary. This page doesn't hold frames. Some browsers don't handle frames and if yours is in that category, you won't be able to experience them.

           One big advantage of frames is to increase the speed of navigation between pages of the site. The drawbacks are that you can't print the page as it appears with frames, and also if you bookmark a page you will get back to the site but not necessarily to the page. It's also harder on the webmaster side and easier for him or her to make mistakes so some advanced users choose not to use them and many web conceptors don't use them at all.