With the decision to publish the handbook electronically, the third edition was the boldest step of all. The advantages were obvious and persuasive: essentially unlimited space, no restrictions on the use of color, and the inclusion of film and animated illustrations. Nevertheless, the affection for a printed handbook was highly underestimated and during the first 5 years of the continuously evolving online version, a growing demand for a new print edition was voiced by the scientific and corporate community.
Thus, Springer is now publishing a third edition in printed form. In total, 7 volumes will make up this new fully revised and updated version. Compared to the second edition, this edition will contain 85% new contents, printed in color throughout. It will be ideally suited for research centers in academia and in the corporate world that need reliable and up-to-date information on the biology of the prokaryotic organisms.