What3Words - communicating precise location

[+DougK]

Here’s an interesting new global addressing / coordinate system:

what3words is a unique combination of just 3 words that identifies a 3mx3m square, anywhere on the planet.

 

Each of the 57 trillion 3mx3m squares in the world has been pre-allocated a fixed & unique 3 word address.

 

It’s far more accurate than a postal address and it’s much easier to remember, use and share than a set of coordinates.

You could specify to Amazon, which door of your house to leave a package!

 

There’s a free iPhone app already supporting what3words.

[+jhuoni]

Mules.dawn.iterating

 

I'm home.

 

I think I'll pass on this new game.

[+Manville Possum]

NoThankYou

[+Mausebiber]

©2013-2016 Copyright what3words Limited

 

Yes, very new.

[+HHL]

©2013-2016 Copyright what3words Limited

 

Yes, very new.

 

Holy Moly, a wisenheimer.

[ohgood]

Here’s an interesting new global addressing / coordinate system:

what3words is a unique combination of just 3 words that identifies a 3mx3m square, anywhere on the planet.

 

Each of the 57 trillion 3mx3m squares in the world has been pre-allocated a fixed & unique 3 word address.

 

It’s far more accurate than a postal address and it’s much easier to remember, use and share than a set of coordinates.

You could specify to Amazon, which door of your house to leave a package!

 

There’s a free iPhone app already supporting what3words.

 

it's pretty neat, but there are some problems with having to keep a list of trillions of combos instead of coordinate

[+fi67]

This is a great system, but it has a clear focus. It is nearly perfect to transmit location data over disturbed communication channels or save them on an unreliable storage system like a human brain.

 

But when you actually want to make use of that location then you have to translate it back. It's absolutely impossible to calculate directions or distances directly from the codes.

[+J Grouchy]

It's actually gaining ground and has been adopted as an address system by Mongolia to help direct mail and parcels to its residents.

[+HHL]

[...] It's absolutely impossible to calculate directions or distances directly from the codes.

 

No, it's not:

https://map.what3wor....dawn.iterating

 

 

Hans

[+Manville Possum]

It's actually gaining ground and has been adopted as an address system by Mongolia to help direct mail and parcels to its residents.

 

That's awesome! Kinda like our 911 system for yak herders.

[+fi67]

[...] It's absolutely impossible to calculate directions or distances directly from the codes.

 

No, it's not:

https://map.what3wor....dawn.iterating

 

 

Hans

Yes, it is. I wrote "directly" from the codes. When I have two locations in what3words codes and no access to the calculation algorithms, then there is no way to figure out how to get from A to B. You always have to translate them to a numeric coordinate system to caculate relations.

 

This is fine. But it is no replacement for numbers, just a human readable layer, like the domain name system for IPs. It is great, but it cannot and does not want to help me when I am moving around.

Edited July 19, 2016 by fi67