Last night I heard about what3words.com. This is a brilliant system that codes every 3 metre by 3 metre square on the planet using 3 dictionary words. Partly conceived to give addresses to people in the 3rd world who currently do not have an address it should revolutionise location definition in way that is much more use friendly than latitude and longitude. Just imagine making a "Mayday" call giving your location as "whacked.revolving.cylindrical". Then there is the people making deliveries using the British postcode system who find it inaccurate especially in rural areas. My own post code covers about 10 houses along our road for a distance of about 2 miles and not all show a name or number. Because what3words is so much more precise it is possible to differentiate between one's front door and back door. This is useful because, as is typical in the countryside, it is much easier to get to our back door than the front door, which we only use in summer. Now I am not going to give out my location in this article, but some of the what3words combinations are quite amusing.
So now instead of arranging to meet someone under the clock at Waterloo station, we can now text them the what3words address of "fines.garage.coach" which is the seating area outside Starbucks inside the station. Much nicer to wait for someone sitting down than standing under the clock for half an hour. Also using the what3words app one can text the 3 word address to your new date and the app will give them direction to get there. Now the seating area outside Starbucks covers 3 3metre squares so there is a choice of 3 word names which might be more or less appropriate. For example the other squares are "truck.pump.breath", "eagles.bump.gifts" and "wakes.ideal.diner". The last seems more appropriate for a date. Some of the 3 word addresses are quite strange, but quite amusing. Just casting around London I found the junction of 3 paths the Jubilee Gardens next to the London Eye has the address "healthier.chats.rushed" which seems rather appropriate for London. I wonder if people might take into account the 3 words address when buying a new house. Another use of this system is getting deliveries to places like marinas where the recipient is on a boat and only waiting for the delivery or the arrival of new crew before departing for foreign parts.
Anyway I think it is a really good system which is well worth looking at and using to guide deliveries if nothing else. Really useful for meeting new people in public places.
Let me know what you think of the system.
No I am not connected with the company who created and run this. I just think it is a brilliant idea which should have many uses.