Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Online Cartographic Atlas Products:
Learning from the Past
Alexander Pucher
Introduction
Harley and Woodward (1987) described the term “map” in their preface to
The
'
History of Cartography
as “graphic representations that facilitate a spatial under-
standing of things, concepts, conditions, processes, or events in the human world”
They probably had no clear idea about how the maps will change over the next
quarter of a decade to this day.
Maps are now much more present to the public than they were a few decades
ago. The possibilities of the Internet offer completely new approaches to spatial
information and its visualization and communication. Fast and geared to the needs
of the users, spatial information can be accessed within a few mouse clicks from
literally anywhere in the world.
To take this into account, the requirements of modern cartography, their forms of
representation but also the usability of “screen maps” had to be re-thought and
researched. This process seems not finished yet, as there are many examples of
cartographic products on the Internet that still try to “copy” traditional methods into
the digital age.
The working group on Cartography and Geoinformation at the University of
Vienna, Department of Geography and Regional Research (IfGR) has more than a
decade of experience in the development of online applications with spatial content.
From pure proof-of-concept implementations of simple online mapping tools in
2000 towards recent information systems in multi-disciplinary environments, these
works reflect the changes in the discipline of web cartography. At the same hand,
these applications have always been results of the current status of the use and
usability research of Internet-based cartography. Significant changes have taken
'
