Discussion
p4cks said:
Jobbo said:
It's only usable with an app so entirely reliant on a battery. There's no logic to it, unlike grid references where you can tell if somewhere is north-east of you; you have no idea where fondle.otters.pocket is relative to upturn.full.bucket.
So it's proprietary and not logical without a device running software. There must be some money behind it because it's being advertised fairly heavily currently but surely the only reason to spend money is for a return? I'll stick to grid refs, thanks, and simply use a map on my phone if I've got that with me.
Absolutely this. When I saw the first article a while back I was scratching my head thinking that surely if you can obtain three words from an app using the internet you can also get the grid reference or long/lat of your location. So it's proprietary and not logical without a device running software. There must be some money behind it because it's being advertised fairly heavily currently but surely the only reason to spend money is for a return? I'll stick to grid refs, thanks, and simply use a map on my phone if I've got that with me.
It's nonsense.
(AFAIK) It does not (like most mapping apps) require an internet connection (aka mobile coverage) to produce 3 words
It means your device can work as a dumb gps.
Not everyone can read/get co-ordinates off a map. Not everyone carries a (paper) map). I think everyone carries a smartphone now.
Gets my vote.
W3W is much simpler than grid references and simply much faster.
Have a road traffic accident on the M11 Southbound after the A11 entry? That's a 20 mile stretch. Or a 3x3m square with only 3 words. Get the OS map out and try and figure out where you are? Lol.
Or use the cars sat nav and have to read to the operator 12 digits after cycling through all the sub menus to find the option.
Yeah I know which I'd prefer.
Also works very well in deserts. Taliban are hiding in That.Rock.There
As others have said the algorithms mean similar words are hundreds of miles apart so less risk of dropping ordnance on your mates.
Have a road traffic accident on the M11 Southbound after the A11 entry? That's a 20 mile stretch. Or a 3x3m square with only 3 words. Get the OS map out and try and figure out where you are? Lol.
Or use the cars sat nav and have to read to the operator 12 digits after cycling through all the sub menus to find the option.
Yeah I know which I'd prefer.
Also works very well in deserts. Taliban are hiding in That.Rock.There
As others have said the algorithms mean similar words are hundreds of miles apart so less risk of dropping ordnance on your mates.
CrutyRammers said:
Indeed, the ambulance (round here at least) won't do grid references at all, only postcodes.
There is, IMO, too much required knowledge to use the emergency services. Why do I have to know to call for police if I want mountain rescue? Why can't I use grid refs, gps co-ordinates, or whatever I have to hand for any of them? In an emergency, the last thing you need is to have to have learnt which service uses which thing and which communications networks they share. So I can see that w3w could help here.
I was once asking for an ambulance to a crematorium (not for the cremated), the crematorium name and location wasn't enough, they needed a postcode...There is, IMO, too much required knowledge to use the emergency services. Why do I have to know to call for police if I want mountain rescue? Why can't I use grid refs, gps co-ordinates, or whatever I have to hand for any of them? In an emergency, the last thing you need is to have to have learnt which service uses which thing and which communications networks they share. So I can see that w3w could help here.
If Google maps easily gave you a grid reference this would probably be less of an issue, but it doesn't, so it's just as easy for them to download this App as it is to download any other App, but this one will give them 3m accuracy.
Evanivitch said:
I was once asking for an ambulance to a crematorium (not for the cremated), the crematorium name and location wasn't enough, they needed a postcode...
If Google maps easily gave you a grid reference this would probably be less of an issue, but it doesn't, so it's just as easy for them to download this App as it is to download any other App, but this one will give them 3m accuracy.
Google have their own "plus code"....If Google maps easily gave you a grid reference this would probably be less of an issue, but it doesn't, so it's just as easy for them to download this App as it is to download any other App, but this one will give them 3m accuracy.
6J64+J8 for example....
tangerine_sedge said:
Whats the cost to do a look up today as a business / govt user?
What's the cost to do a lookup in 5 years time?
What's the cost to integrate to existing systems?
I would love to answer these questions but their website is suitably wooly...
Agreed, anything proprietary for addresses/locations is a terrible idea. It's already bad enough for businesses needing to pay for postcode lookup (the government should have retained control of the PAF rather than selling it off..), we don't need a privately owned worldwide system.What's the cost to do a lookup in 5 years time?
What's the cost to integrate to existing systems?
I would love to answer these questions but their website is suitably wooly...
CrutyRammers said:
Indeed, the ambulance (round here at least) won't do grid references at all, only postcodes.
There is, IMO, too much required knowledge to use the emergency services. Why do I have to know to call for police if I want mountain rescue? Why can't I use grid refs, gps co-ordinates, or whatever I have to hand for any of them? In an emergency, the last thing you need is to have to have learnt which service uses which thing and which communications networks they share. So I can see that w3w could help here.
Don't talk to me about ambulance service. A while back came across an ambo crew and police officer searching for someone reported collapsed. Clearly from the questions they were asking they had zero knowledge about the area or whether they were even near the intended location.There is, IMO, too much required knowledge to use the emergency services. Why do I have to know to call for police if I want mountain rescue? Why can't I use grid refs, gps co-ordinates, or whatever I have to hand for any of them? In an emergency, the last thing you need is to have to have learnt which service uses which thing and which communications networks they share. So I can see that w3w could help here.
An offer to help on the basis that a local might recognise better from the described location any landmarks or something else to narrow it down met with a rather supercilious response. So left them to it, wandering round trying to get the ambulance down a green 'lane' that told them was a non goer, too narrow, too muddy. At least managed to stop them getting it stuck.
I think this has its place, for other countries that dont have street name and mapping it great and can use local words or symbols. For the UK it good but I dont think anyone should use it instead of using OS grid reference or coordinates and knowning how to use it.
I dont like it on products as it need licence to utilise on maps and can only use to for position reporting only cant easily use the data for GIS data analysis or give direction.
I dont like it on products as it need licence to utilise on maps and can only use to for position reporting only cant easily use the data for GIS data analysis or give direction.
John145 said:
W3W is much simpler than grid references and simply much faster.
Have a road traffic accident on the M11 Southbound after the A11 entry? That's a 20 mile stretch. Or a 3x3m square with only 3 words. Get the OS map out and try and figure out where you are? Lol.
Or use the cars sat nav and have to read to the operator 12 digits after cycling through all the sub menus to find the option.
Yeah I know which I'd prefer.
Or you could just read it off the signs at the side of the road put there for precisely that purpose? "M11 B 68.2"Have a road traffic accident on the M11 Southbound after the A11 entry? That's a 20 mile stretch. Or a 3x3m square with only 3 words. Get the OS map out and try and figure out where you are? Lol.
Or use the cars sat nav and have to read to the operator 12 digits after cycling through all the sub menus to find the option.
Yeah I know which I'd prefer.
Although not as memorable, Google's Plus Codes do a good job for pinpointing exact locations and they're free (and likely to stay free seeing as it's Google). You can either create them directly in googlemaps to a 14m x 14m square or pinpoint them to a 3m x 3x square using the plus.codes/map website. The codes work directly in the googlemaps search box too as well as satnavs.
To create them in googlemaps just put your click your mouse to put a pin on any location then click on the lat long co-ords at the bottom. It will open up a panel on the left and your plus code will be right there. So long as you have your map showing the country you're in, you don't need the first part of the code, just the last 6 chars, eg. QFX2+XM will put you on the steps to the entrance of the Leeds Art Gallery. If you want the goods delivery entrance, for example, RF22+59 will do it or if you want more precision, zooming in on the plus.codes map and clicking will give you give RF22+59V.
Might be useful for the telegraph pole location guy above?
W3W is more memorable, but it still reverts to googlemaps on the back-end and as noted above, it's very likely that they'll charge for commercial use once they've gained enough traction and got enough businesses using it as their primary location/delivery means.
To create them in googlemaps just put your click your mouse to put a pin on any location then click on the lat long co-ords at the bottom. It will open up a panel on the left and your plus code will be right there. So long as you have your map showing the country you're in, you don't need the first part of the code, just the last 6 chars, eg. QFX2+XM will put you on the steps to the entrance of the Leeds Art Gallery. If you want the goods delivery entrance, for example, RF22+59 will do it or if you want more precision, zooming in on the plus.codes map and clicking will give you give RF22+59V.
Might be useful for the telegraph pole location guy above?
W3W is more memorable, but it still reverts to googlemaps on the back-end and as noted above, it's very likely that they'll charge for commercial use once they've gained enough traction and got enough businesses using it as their primary location/delivery means.
texaxile said:
Our Bedroom is "no.fun.here"
This is how they could monetise the app, you could buy and name a square?
What a great system and app. I’m frequently out running or cycling in the U.K. and abroad and often wondered how best to describe my location if I fell over and got injured and had to call the local police or hit by a car or whatever. This works everywhere and is very simple to download and use.
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 22 August 20:21
Lemming Train said:
W3W is more memorable, but it still reverts to googlemaps on the back-end and as noted above, it's very likely that they'll charge for commercial use once they've gained enough traction and got enough businesses using it as their primary location/delivery means.
You can use a variety of free maps like openstreetmap or google.
I think they charge (or will charge) for business users
W3W has the advantage of working internationally, unlike OS grid refs. (yeah, I know you could use lat/long) - Although trying to use english words to explain your location to a Frenchman probably won't end well.
Good map-reading and hill and navigation skills mean you're a lot less likely to need to call our mountain rescue in the first place, which I think is SMR's point. If you call MR they'll typically use PhoneFind/Sarloc to locate you, anyway. It just sends you a text with a URL to click, and your location is sent straight to their system. No garbled numbers or misheard words needed.
https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/skills/using_s...
Good map-reading and hill and navigation skills mean you're a lot less likely to need to call our mountain rescue in the first place, which I think is SMR's point. If you call MR they'll typically use PhoneFind/Sarloc to locate you, anyway. It just sends you a text with a URL to click, and your location is sent straight to their system. No garbled numbers or misheard words needed.
https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/skills/using_s...
But I'm frequently in locations without service, never mind data, not even phone calls. That's why I use purchased OS digital maps so get a location without need for connection.
Clearly that doesn't help with the communication side though you can often soon find emergency calls only cover.
Clearly that doesn't help with the communication side though you can often soon find emergency calls only cover.
FiF said:
But I'm frequently in locations without service, never mind data, not even phone calls. That's why I use purchased OS digital maps so get a location without need for connection.
Clearly that doesn't help with the communication side though you can often soon find emergency calls only cover.
I use ViewRanger with offline OS maps (and a paper backup buried somewhere). Usually the higher you get, the more chance of mobile coverage.Clearly that doesn't help with the communication side though you can often soon find emergency calls only cover.
"Emergency calls only" is bit of an odd one. You can make calls, but not receive, so after your initial call MR have no way of getting back to you. Also there's no "emergency data", so Sarloc won't work.
I'd like this to become more widely used.
Our postcode covers our road. Sounds normal, but unfortunately our end of the road is no longer connected to other end due a bloomin' great DCway through the middle.
Not only that, we're in Wales, and our house name is different by 2 letters from the name of a house on the other side of the DCway.
We put "...behind the pub" on our address now, so we get pretty much all of our post these days, but we still get lots of theirs, especially agency parcel drivers.... "sorry, that's not us. You'll need to go back onto the main road here, 400 yards up and back onto the DCway, turn right on it back towards town, about half a mile there's a turn off on the left, it's the first house down there."
If you use our postcode to get to our house, you'll be told you have reached your destination while you're still doing 70 down the DCway!
W3W, on the other hand, can locate our front gate, our side gate, our front door or our back door, all separately, as you like. (Sounds like the Google Maps thing could as well, but who's got time for that?)
Our postcode covers our road. Sounds normal, but unfortunately our end of the road is no longer connected to other end due a bloomin' great DCway through the middle.
Not only that, we're in Wales, and our house name is different by 2 letters from the name of a house on the other side of the DCway.
We put "...behind the pub" on our address now, so we get pretty much all of our post these days, but we still get lots of theirs, especially agency parcel drivers.... "sorry, that's not us. You'll need to go back onto the main road here, 400 yards up and back onto the DCway, turn right on it back towards town, about half a mile there's a turn off on the left, it's the first house down there."
If you use our postcode to get to our house, you'll be told you have reached your destination while you're still doing 70 down the DCway!
W3W, on the other hand, can locate our front gate, our side gate, our front door or our back door, all separately, as you like. (Sounds like the Google Maps thing could as well, but who's got time for that?)
zombeh said:
John145 said:
W3W is much simpler than grid references and simply much faster.
Have a road traffic accident on the M11 Southbound after the A11 entry? That's a 20 mile stretch.
Yeah I know which I'd prefer.
Or you could just read it off the signs at the side of the road put there for precisely that purpose? "M11 B 68.2"Have a road traffic accident on the M11 Southbound after the A11 entry? That's a 20 mile stretch.
Yeah I know which I'd prefer.
Pinpointed to anywhere within a 100m on the English motorway network.
Preferably on the right side of the carriageway to save going round to the next junction.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver_location_sign
speedyguy said:
Pretty easy system to use.
Pinpointed to anywhere within a 100m on the English motorway network.
Preferably on the right side of the carriageway to save going round to the next junction.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver_location_sign
But precisely no use if you're on the A1 or any other non-motorway road, hence why W3W and/or Plus Codes are infinitely superior. Also, the police, ambulance and recovery drivers couldn't be less interested if they tried when you attempt to give them those marker board numbers. None of them use nor recognise them and want you to provide them with a post code. They'll reluctantly come out if you can't provide them with one but expect a 2 hour delay to the ambo and breakdown arriving as they inevitably end up getting lost enroute.Pinpointed to anywhere within a 100m on the English motorway network.
Preferably on the right side of the carriageway to save going round to the next junction.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver_location_sign
Edited by Lemming Train on Thursday 22 August 23:54
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