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1. Temporary Marjolein (mk@oracle.skilledtests.com)'s status on Sunday, 17-Jul-2016 09:01:17 UTC Temporary Marjolein

   • the federated universe
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   • Temp Fix
   Good morning !tzag !fediverse !tempfix - I just found out about What3Words - a way to address any place on earth, even if they don't have a street address, and without complicated (and typo-prone) GPS coordinates: see https://what3words.com/about - my location in Groningen is http://w3w.co/names.grownup.again (switch to OpenStreetMap as it's much more accurate than Google Maps here!) #what3words. There's an App, too (Android and iOS) which I've yet to try out. I'm definitely going to use this to direct people to my place!
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   • Arun Isaac (அருண் ஐசக்) (arunisaac@social.systemreboot.net)'s status on Sunday, 17-Jul-2016 13:50:44 UTC Arun Isaac (அருண் ஐசக்)

     in reply to
     Is there a free software library for #what3words that is not an API wrapper? -- Something standalone...
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   • Temporary Marjolein (mk@oracle.skilledtests.com)'s status on Sunday, 17-Jul-2016 19:48:39 UTC Temporary Marjolein

     • Arun Isaac (அருண் ஐசக்)
     @arunisaac I have not looked that far, but their API seems well-documented. It should be easy enough to write your own (starting with their RESTful API) in any language you're most familiar with. All you need is an API key to pass along as a parameter or a HTTP variable.
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   • Arun Isaac (அருண் ஐசக்) (arunisaac@social.systemreboot.net)'s status on Sunday, 17-Jul-2016 20:19:08 UTC Arun Isaac (அருண் ஐசக்)

     in reply to
     But, I am looking for offline use without accessing their API. If their algorithm is published, somebody could write a standalone free software replacement. Using their API is #SaaSS.
     
     But, from what I've read, their algorithm appears to be proprietary. :-(
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   • Temporary Marjolein (mk@oracle.skilledtests.com)'s status on Sunday, 17-Jul-2016 21:23:42 UTC Temporary Marjolein

     • Arun Isaac (அருண் ஐசக்)
     @arunisaac I see what you mean now. Not sure if it's proprietary or not, but it's quite complicated. I just installed the (Android) app and the About page in there gives some idea of what's involved (like avoiding homophones, and using shorter words in urban areas and longer words in sparsely or unpopulated areas - and that in several languages, too. But if you'd just sum up all the squares' names, you'd end up with a huge database, not usable offline on a phone.
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   • Former Bob Jonkman -- Please use the new server at https://gs.jonkman.ca (bobjonkmanformer@sn.jonkman.ca)'s status on Sunday, 17-Jul-2016 22:11:16 UTC Former Bob Jonkman -- Please use the new server at https://gs.jonkman.ca

     in reply to

     • Arun Isaac (அருண் ஐசக்)
     @mk @arunisaac #What3Words has the usual dangers that if the service provider disappears then so do all the coordinates described by the words. So yes, the algorithm with all the words (in every language used) is needed, or a comprehensive list of all coordinate tiles and their associated words.
   • Former Bob Jonkman -- Please use the new server at https://gs.jonkman.ca (bobjonkmanformer@sn.jonkman.ca)'s status on Sunday, 17-Jul-2016 22:16:11 UTC Former Bob Jonkman -- Please use the new server at https://gs.jonkman.ca

     in reply to

     • OpenStreetMap
     • Former Bob Jonkman -- Please use the new server at https://gs.jonkman.ca
     • Arun Isaac (அருண் ஐசக்)
     @mk @arunisaac But what's wrong with the !OSM Shortlink? (aside from its ugliness and lack of mnemonic value) It's well documented, and easily reproduced by other developers. http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Shortlink
   • Temporary Marjolein (mk@oracle.skilledtests.com)'s status on Monday, 18-Jul-2016 04:53:32 UTC Temporary Marjolein

     in reply to

     • Former Bob Jonkman -- Please use the new server at https://gs.jonkman.ca
     @bobjonklman "lack of mnemonic value" is a biggie already, it's neither easily remembered, nor pronounced(!) or communicated off-line. The 'zoomed-in' code given on http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Shortlink is already 8 characters that would need to be pronounced separately (including 'uppercase' and 'lowercase' qualifiers), don't include a pointer, and seems to address a much larger area than 3x3 meters - to get down to that level the code would be even longer (and less pronouceable). Three words in your own (or a well-known) language have an inherent error-correction quality, and the 3x3 meters grid ensures an actual address (apart from height), small enough to point to a single building. The OSM code is still a code for machines, the W3W code is a code for humans. But I agree it would somehow need to be made "provider-independant".
   • Former Bob Jonkman -- Please use the new server at https://gs.jonkman.ca (bobjonkmanformer@sn.jonkman.ca)'s status on Monday, 18-Jul-2016 05:38:59 UTC Former Bob Jonkman -- Please use the new server at https://gs.jonkman.ca

     in reply to

     • OpenStreetMap
     • Arun Isaac (அருண் ஐசக்)
     @mk I agree with everything, except that the !OSM Shortlink has resolution much finer than 3m, and a pointer is easily added by appending ?m eg. http://osm.org/go/0GXM0u199?m (where my grandparents lived) /cc @arunisaac
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   • Temporary Marjolein (mk@oracle.skilledtests.com)'s status on Monday, 18-Jul-2016 08:11:28 UTC Temporary Marjolein

     in reply to

     • Former Bob Jonkman -- Please use the new server at https://gs.jonkman.ca
     @bobjonkman further on this: I found the following at the bottom of this page: https://what3words.com/pricing/ "In the meantime, we commit to the following: If we, what3words ltd, are ever unable to maintain the what3words technology or make arrangements for it to be maintained by a third-party (with that third-party being willing to make this same commitment), then we will release our source code into the public domain. We will do this in such a way and with suitable licences and documentation to ensure that any and all users of what3words, whether they are individuals, businesses, charitable organisations, aid agencies, governments or anyone else can continue to rely on the what3words system."
   • Temporary Marjolein (mk@oracle.skilledtests.com)'s status on Monday, 18-Jul-2016 08:13:21 UTC Temporary Marjolein

     in reply to
     OK, not perfect. But for now that's good enough for me. I'm planning to actually use this for directing people to my (planned) B&B, and more - I simply don't know of anything else that's as good (let alone better). I just don't know of anything as good (let alone better). If something else comes up, I'll consider that. I just checked - the grid is (just) fine enough to even point people to the exact private parking space behind my block. :)
   • Temporary Marjolein (mk@oracle.skilledtests.com)'s status on Monday, 18-Jul-2016 08:17:22 UTC Temporary Marjolein

     in reply to

     • Former Bob Jonkman -- Please use the new server at https://gs.jonkman.ca
     @bobjonkman - They explain to what level of resolution they can go - and that's impressive. But for the sample URL (8 characters) they don't say what, exactly, the are is for that. Adding a parameter just to see a marker 1) makes it even more unpronounceable and 2) directly illustrates their coordinate system is for machines, not humans. Dictate a URL like that over the phone to your buddy when he doesn't know where to park his car when visiting you...
   • Temporary Marjolein (mk@oracle.skilledtests.com)'s status on Sunday, 24-Jul-2016 20:28:06 UTC Temporary Marjolein

     in reply to
     I played with the (Android) app a little now. Basically: it works. A bit quirky at times though, and I hate that I see no way to choose a mapping background like you can on the web page (Google data is seriously outdated for addresses in NL: I can get the map point, but trying to get directions fails because G doesn't know the actual street address; at least you get something approximate, but that's not good enough for actual directions). So, for now, for NL, using the website on your phone (and switching to OSM) is better and more reliable than using the app. That said, the app seems to be under active development, so it will likely get better. (In the mean time, G seriously needs to update their database - both satellite imagery (sometimes > 10 years old!) and street addresses (and how they are mapped to the map data). #what3words #app #osm #googlemaps