Three unique words can address any place in the world
what3words.com
Three unique words can address any place in the world
1–10 of 16 posts
Re: Three unique words can address any place in the world
#2Dang! I was working on something like this, but for data in general.
I was thinking of using it for things with I guess a large space, because I thought I needed like 5 words, not 3. Or, no, it looks like I was using a smaller word list. Yeah.
I was thinking of using it to, for one thing, refer to people in a unique way.
I also had some other ideas for uses.
As far as implementation went, I had a python 2.7 bytes words converter, but I hadn't quite fixed a bug leading to extra 0s at the end.
Re: Three unique words can address any place in the world
#3As written, overkill. One unique word can address any place in the world.
Re: Three unique words can address any place in the world
#4Yes, three words. But combined with their proprietary database...
Postal addresses (agreed, not well organized in many countries) and gps coordinates are at least open. And gps coordinates can be shortened by using letters.
We would actually only need a universal algorithm that can translate any gps coordination into something readable and back. No database needed. No dependence on any company.
Re: Three unique words can address any place in the world
#5Yes, three words. But combined with their proprietary database... Postal addresses (agreed, not well organized in many countries) and gps coordinates are at least open. And gps coordinates can be shortened by using letters. We would actually only need a universal algorithm that can translate any gps coordination into something readable and back. No database needed. No dependence on any company.
Oh but there is, and has been for a long time now:
Re: Three unique words can address any place in the world
#6Yes, three words. But combined with their proprietary database... Postal addresses (agreed, not well organized in many countries) and gps coordinates are at least open. And gps coordinates can be shortened by using letters. We would actually only need a universal algorithm that can translate any gps coordination into something readable and back. No database needed. No dependence on any company.
Oh but there is, and has been for a long time now: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geohash
Yes, I am familiar with that kind of approach. However, something like 'geohash.org/eyckqv01zy2v' is not what I mean because it is similar to '38.7436214,-9.1952231': both can only be communicated by copy-and-paste.
You missed the word 'readable' in my post ;-)
Re: Three unique words can address any place in the world
#7Yes, three words. But combined with their proprietary database... Postal addresses (agreed, not well organized in many countries) and gps coordinates are at least open. And gps coordinates can be shortened by using letters. We would actually only need a universal algorithm that can translate any gps coordination into something readable and back. No database needed. No dependence on any company.
Let's say an earthquake just occurred in a town named "El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula". Emergency personnel can try to lug this big name around, people can try to input into map apps or they can check out the three word address for the town and pass that around much more easily. The example I've given is an exaggeration (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Unusual_place_names) but this use is obviated when a person is traveling in a foreign country with unusual names for streets, stores, etc. I think this is the most interesting everyday use for the technology.
Re: Three unique words can address any place in the world
#8Yes, three words. But combined with their proprietary database... Postal addresses (agreed, not well organized in many countries) and gps coordinates are at least open. And gps coordinates can be shortened by using letters. We would actually only need a universal algorithm that can translate any gps coordination into something readable and back. No database needed. No dependence on any company.
Let's say an earthquake just occurred in a town named "El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula". Emergency personnel can try to lug this big name around, people can try to input into map apps or they can check out the three word address for the town and pass that around much more easily. The example I've given is an exaggeration ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Unusual_place_names…
The use cases are clear. Also for less dramatic situations :-)
But my problem is the reliance on a database, especially a proprietary one. Feels like solving one problem by creating another.
Therefore an algorithm for converting gps coordinates into a few common words would be ideal (and to convert back).
Re: Three unique words can address any place in the world
#9As written, overkill. One unique word can address any place in the world.
"Here"
Re: Three unique words can address any place in the world
#10Yes, three words. But combined with their proprietary database... Postal addresses (agreed, not well organized in many countries) and gps coordinates are at least open. And gps coordinates can be shortened by using letters. We would actually only need a universal algorithm that can translate any gps coordination into something readable and back. No database needed. No dependence on any company.
Let's say an earthquake just occurred in a town named "El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula". Emergency personnel can try to lug this big name around, people can try to input into map apps or they can check out the three word address for the town and pass that around much more easily. The example I've given is an exaggeration ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Unusual_place_names…
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