what3words - might be handy

[peregrino_tom]

I just read a fascinating article about a new technology/company that has mapped the whole world into 3 metre by 3 metre squares. There are about 57 trillion of these. But rather than try and give each a numerical grid reference, they worked out that in some languages (starting with English) there are several trillion more combinations of three common words. So they assigned three words to each square.
There's an article here from the UK Guardian about how this has enabled people previously without a registered address to fix their location and access all the typical support and identity that comes with having a home address
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jun/23/the-gps-app-that-can-find-anyone-anywhere
The article is worth a read in its own right, but it got me thinking about how a forum like this might be able to use this technology to share grid points more universally (especially with old clogs like me who won't embrace GPS devices). I've recently been following the threads on the Viejo, Montana, Olvidado pages which are in the process of devising, updating and sharing the best pilgrim routes along the Cantabrian mountains. Key points such as markers, forks in the path and albergues could be easily identified and shared with all using this grid nomenclature. For example, I think I have pinpointed the tomb of St James as being at weekend.copying.doctor - but you might like to check by entering this into the search function at https://what3words.com
PS I tried to locate the 3-word name for Ivar's office door on Travesa de Universidade but couldn't quite remember the exact location, as it's been years since I've been there - Ivar?
Cheers, tom

 

[natefaith]

Fascinating stuff! Thanks for sharing, Tom. Ivar is at Travesia da Universidade, 1. Looks like that's ///exact.shunted.likewise. And our own Pilgrim House is at ///upwards.twins.bunch. Guess time will tell if there are any hidden meanings in the three-word labels.

 

[MinaKamina]

Wow! I see my roof on an areal picture and it is called areal picture! in traslation.

 

[Theatregal]

Truly fascinating!!

 

[pelerine]

Brillant! Thank you for sharing!

 

[VNwalking]

As well as being an interesting idea, this is a very amusing time killer .
All those hidden meanings!

 

[poogeyejr]

Amazing - the applications for the camino are numerous! Outlooks on the Coastal route. Churches that you just wander by and don't have the address, a brilliant mind, created an elegant solution to an age old rural problem.

 

[Marbe2]

Thank you! Learned Something new and useful in the future!

 

[Deleted member 12253]

I just read a fascinating article about a new technology/company that has mapped the whole world into 3 metre by 3 metre squares. There are about 57 trillion of these. But rather than try and give each a numerical grid reference, they worked out that in some languages (starting with English) there are several trillion more combinations of three common words. So they assigned three words to each square.
There's an article here from the UK Guardian about how this has enabled people previously without a registered address to fix their location and access all the typical support and identity that comes with having a home address
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jun/23/the-gps-app-that-can-find-anyone-anywhere
The article is worth a read in its own right, but it got me thinking about how a forum like this might be able to use this technology to share grid points more universally (especially with old clogs like me who won't embrace GPS devices). I've recently been following the threads on the Viejo, Montana, Olvidado pages which are in the process of devising, updating and sharing the best pilgrim routes along the Cantabrian mountains. Key points such as markers, forks in the path and albergues could be easily identified and shared with all using this grid nomenclature. For example, I think I have pinpointed the tomb of St James as being at weekend.copying.doctor - but you might like to check by entering this into the search function at https://what3words.com
PS I tried to locate the 3-word name for Ivar's office door on Travesa de Universidade but couldn't quite remember the exact location, as it's been years since I've been there - Ivar?
Cheers, tom

Home sweet home

 

[Jeff Crawley]

For over 10 years I've used a website Streetmap to find addresses, convert world co-ordinates, UK co-ordinates, post codes etc.

on the returns for such inquiries you see:



(roughly where I live)

and have never figured out what what3words was all about - now I know!