New Global Address System

[CaturMuka]

This new system would be great for Indonesia.

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-...system-opens-mail-service-to-billions/8278766

They use 3 random words for every 3m x 3m space, the world over. For example, you could tell someone the location of your house as purple.monkey.dishwasher.

https://map.what3words.com/purple.monkey.dishwasher

I hope it takes off here. Not that I don't appreciate a good wild-goose chase when searching for an address - wait, I'm not retired, so actually, I don't.

 

[vocalneal]

Good for places that don't have an existing system or places where the addresses are historic and not based on any real system at all. If I type in my mom's postal code it goes straight to her house but that IS a system.

 

[Vanuatu]

hives.nominations.donation

 

[vocalneal]

It is interesting that people think that three English words, which have different character coding than much of the developing world (hindi/most asian/some african languages) is going to be easier for a population to use than numbers.

Would work for Pos Indonesia though?

 

[Davita]

Would work for Pos Indonesia though?

I hope so because my recent experience is Pos Indonesia couldn't find a letter if you slapped them in the face with it.
I've recently sent 10 registered mails from Bali to UK and their tracking system loses them in Jakarta. Seven of them have so far arrived, so I'm confident, but the tracking system sucks.
I sent one VIP letter by DHL but it cost over Rp900,000...wtf!
On the other hand the POS Indo domestic system works well...I receive mail in Bali from Jakarta next day...

 

[CaturMuka]

It is interesting that people think that three English words, which have different character coding than much of the developing world (hindi/most asian/some african languages) is going to be easier for a population to use than numbers.

Would work for Pos Indonesia though?

It's already available in about 12 different languages, but unfortunately not yet in Indonesian.

I agree with you about using numbers. Now that I've had time to think about it, there's a lot that can go wrong with conveying precise information with just words. Different people's accents and pronunciation, for starters, and also whether your words are singular or plural. Not to mention getting everyone on the same page in terms of spelling.

Still, we've already had GPS for a long time and it's just never taken off for mainstream use.

 

[vocalneal]

I sent one VIP letter by DHL but it cost over Rp900,000...wtf!

I believe DHL to be superior to the "other" ones but sometimes for inbound stuff one has no choice.

With Google back up my mom's postcode covers 3 houses. So not bad?

 

[Euc-]

The problem I see is that without internet access you'd be completely lost trying to find anything, as changing one word could be half a world difference. Also no difference for apartment/office buildings where you'd still have to mention the tower name, floor, unit number etc.

 

[vocalneal]

Still, we've already had GPS for a long time and it's just never taken off for mainstream use.

One problem with GPS is that there is no one standard format used. There are at least 3 different formats used and not all devices/application use all of them so they have to be converted. Then there is the - and N and E

 

[CaturMuka]

The problem I see is that without internet access you'd be completely lost trying to find anything, as changing one word could be half a world difference. Also no difference for apartment/office buildings where you'd still have to mention the tower name, floor, unit number etc.

This would depend on how big the database containing the grid references is. If it was only a few gigabytes then it would be no problem to use it offline on a modern smartphone. However, people wouldn't be too happy about such a large app.

That's a good point about multi-story buildings though.

It's attractive to me because our address is difficult to find and explain, and, for completeness, has to reference another street name that it is also vague and difficult to explain. It's going to be a nightmare if we ever have to call emergency services.

 

[vocalneal]

It's going to be a nightmare if we ever have to call emergency services.

555 or hahaha

I lived on a corner and the only house on an undeveloped and unmade non existent road in a small one employer town. I called the fire dept. once for a chimney fire. I said 38 Highland Crescent. They said there is no such address. I repeated, they repeated. Then the guy on the phone said "who is calling"? I told them my name and he said we'll be right there.

I'm impressed there is emergency services you must live in a large town. Invite them around for some tea/coffee and ask them how you would explain your address to them? Fire dept. is easy the'll just follow the smoke.

May not help but it wastes a few minutes to find your 3word location.

 

[CaturMuka]

I'm impressed there is emergency services you must live in a large town.

We're in Denpasar. We're in with the local Banjar but far away from the Police and Fire stations, not much chance of a friendly cuppa.