FROM CLASSIC ATLAS DESIGN TO COLLABORATIVE PLATFORMS: THE SWISSATLASPLATFORM PROJECT

摘要

Geodata and its visualization are increasingly relevant in everyday life. The information retrieval by means of route planners, navigation systems, GPS data, digital map systems, and geoportals is rapidly growing and influences many of our decisions. Although such applications cannot be defined as atlas systems in a strict sense, atlases have to compete with these geoinformation providers. This public awareness of geovisualization is a great opportunity for products like digital atlases. People may not only take notice of this category of geoinformation systems, but may even begin to regard the use of atlases as (daily) routine. Nevertheless, some challenges are arising: what is the future benefit of atlases, which features could make them a really unique information source for users? Atlases should not be a mere collection of geoinformation but rather a distinctive compilation of cartographically well designed maps emphasizing the characteristics of the thematic information depicted, and ready to be explored by tailored atlas tools.