The beta-version of the SWISS WORLD ATLAS interactive has been available for the public since early June. This atlas version can be started from www.schweizerweltatlas.ch and is free of charge.
The application is fully web-bases and no local installation is needed. Software and content updates are automatically provided on each start of the atlas. It is therefore guaranteed that all users use the latest version at any time.

During the next weeks some movies about the use of the atlas will be published on the website.

To start the beta-version of the atlas successfully, the minimal requirements are now Java in Version 6 Update 10 and a graphic card, which supports OpenGL 1.5.
The changing of the system requirements is based on some remarkable improvements, especially on the performance. OpenGL 1.5 is required for displaying the 3D graphics.

The third and last prototype test phase of the SWISS WORLD ATLAS interactive was completed in early May. We would like to thank all participants. With the help of the numerous feedbacks we could localise and improve weak points in the usability of the atlas.

The SWISS WORLD ATLAS interactive has been successfully introduced to geography classes at the Kantonsschule Baden in late April. With the use of the new interactive atlas in several classes this new teaching method could be tested for practicability with students and for concrete questions.

The SWISS WORLD ATLAS celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2010. In celebration of this anniversary the official version 1.0 of the SWISS WORLD ATLAS interactive will be launched during the WORLDDIDAC in Basel (27th to 29th October 2010). A beta version of the web atlas will be accessible to the public from June (only in German language). In this year also an updated version of the printed German and French atlas edition will be published.