Dynamic web maps Dynamic maps are about change; change in one or more of the spatial data's components. On the WWW several options to play animation are available. The so-called animated-GIF can be seen as the view-only version of the dynamic maps. A set of bitmaps, each representing a frame from an animation are positioned after each other and the WWW-browser will continuously repeat the animation. These can be used for example to depict the changing weather over the last day (e.g. http://knmi.telegraaf.nl/radar/index12.html). Slightly more interactive versions of this type of maps are those to be played by mediaplayers, in AVI, MPEG or Quicktime format. Plug-ins to the WWW-browser define the interaction options, which are often limited to simple pause, backward and forward. These animations do not use any specific WWW-environment parameters and have equal functionality in the desktop-environment. Animations created via VRML or Quicktime VR offer interactivity to the user, e.g. the user can define the travel path, and make decisions on directions, height, etcetera. This is possible because these formats store a true 3D model of the objects, not just a series of 3D views. A nice example of this is the VRML model of Schiphol Airport (http://flightinfo.schiphol.nl/engine/index_def.html?lang=en&page_nr=590). Furthermore, they offer the incorporation of links and thus become a more interactive "clickable animation". These links normally refer to other locations on the WWW or start another animations with more or less detail. In this context it is worthwhile mentioning that at the beginning of 1998 the VRML Architecture Review Board has accepted the GeoVRML Working Group Proposal. This should lead to the incorporation of spatial functionality in future VRML standards. Using these techniques, the "Virtual Worlds" mentioned before can be created and offered to WWW-users. Feedback/Questions / Last updated May 11, 2001