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Is it correct to assume the implementation isn't open and only what3words can resolve 3words to location and vice versa? What happens if they close down, would

by s0rce 9y ago

Is it correct to assume the implementation isn't open and only what3words can resolve 3words to location and vice versa? What happens if they close down, would my mailing address no longer be resolvable? What happens then? If you'd like to visit my office its at atomic.pipes.rods.

zoul 9y ago
We don't publish a list of all the words, so this isn't available for download. https://support.what3words.com/hc/en-us/articles/207769875-Can-I-download-a-database-of-the-words- https://support.what3words.com/hc/en-us/articles/207769875-C...
corprew 9y ago
It looks like they've got that covered: "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." -- https://what3words.com/pricing/ https://what3words.com/pricing/
- mikeash 9y ago
  Is the code and documentation placed into escrow with a third party to ensure that this happens?
- hobofan 9y ago
  So what happens in the case that England (their place of business) issues trade embargos with any of those countries?
- s0rce 9y ago
  Not particularly reassuring, can't someone just create an open system with a similar concept and release the mapping.
  - hobofan 9y ago
    When someone told about what3words, they also told me that they made money by selling shorter or more pleasant word pairings to whoever was willing to pay, but the only reference to that I could find is [0]. Having that requirement would make it much more difficult to build such a system. Apart from that, it's basically "just" geohashes with a different (population-density based) encoding. [0]: https://techcrunch.com/2013/07/08/what3words/ https://techcrunch.com/2013/07/08/what3words/
    - mtmail 9y ago
      Those were called One Words. That was their old businesses model and abandoned/pivoted.
  - tyingq 9y ago
    >can't someone just create an open system with a similar concept There's a pretty good, working parody at http://what3fucks.com http://what3fucks.com
    - evancox10 9y ago
      And that system maintains a hierarchical relationship, you and your neighbor share the first n words. Makes much more sens e
- EGreg 9y ago
  What if they don't keep their word? A lot will come to depend on this. Geohash is patent free btw. I am sure something can be done here as well.
  - hobofan 9y ago
    The what3words algorithm has a patent pending though[0]. Let's see if it will stand up to geohashes as prior art. [0]: https://www.google.com/patents/US20160073225 https://www.google.com/patents/US20160073225
    - aw3c2 9y ago
      And this https://patents.stackexchange.com/questions/13629/i-had-invented-and-published-before-this-patent-application-how-do-i-get-it-in https://patents.stackexchange.com/questions/13629/i-had-inve...
Mediterraneo10 9y ago
As the OpenStreetMap community has documented[1], this is unfortunately very much not open, and it is a real shame that a country would entrust something so public as addressing to a foreign, closed system. [1] https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/What3words https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/What3words
superasn 9y ago
Can using a block chain a good solution for it?
- jlgaddis 9y ago
  Of course! Blockchain is the solution for everything! /s
  - superasn 9y ago
    Sorry I have a limited understanding of blockchain but what I meant is since people are already downloading the what3words app, using blockchain integration everyone can pick their own unique 3 words and the whole chain records who the address owner is. This way it becomes indestructible because if i understood correctly everyone has a copy of blockchain making it decentralized.

by s0rce 9y ago

zoul 9y ago

We don't publish a list of all the words, so this isn't available for download. https://support.what3words.com/hc/en-us/articles/207769875-Can-I-download-a-database-of-the-words- https://support.what3words.com/hc/en-us/articles/207769875-C...

corprew 9y ago

It looks like they've got that covered: "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." -- https://what3words.com/pricing/ https://what3words.com/pricing/

mikeash 9y ago
Is the code and documentation placed into escrow with a third party to ensure that this happens?
hobofan 9y ago
So what happens in the case that England (their place of business) issues trade embargos with any of those countries?
s0rce 9y ago
Not particularly reassuring, can't someone just create an open system with a similar concept and release the mapping.
- hobofan 9y ago
  When someone told about what3words, they also told me that they made money by selling shorter or more pleasant word pairings to whoever was willing to pay, but the only reference to that I could find is [0]. Having that requirement would make it much more difficult to build such a system. Apart from that, it's basically "just" geohashes with a different (population-density based) encoding. [0]: https://techcrunch.com/2013/07/08/what3words/ https://techcrunch.com/2013/07/08/what3words/
  - mtmail 9y ago
    Those were called One Words. That was their old businesses model and abandoned/pivoted.
- tyingq 9y ago
  >can't someone just create an open system with a similar concept There's a pretty good, working parody at http://what3fucks.com http://what3fucks.com
  - evancox10 9y ago
    And that system maintains a hierarchical relationship, you and your neighbor share the first n words. Makes much more sens e
EGreg 9y ago
What if they don't keep their word? A lot will come to depend on this. Geohash is patent free btw. I am sure something can be done here as well.
- hobofan 9y ago
  The what3words algorithm has a patent pending though[0]. Let's see if it will stand up to geohashes as prior art. [0]: https://www.google.com/patents/US20160073225 https://www.google.com/patents/US20160073225
  - aw3c2 9y ago
    And this https://patents.stackexchange.com/questions/13629/i-had-invented-and-published-before-this-patent-application-how-do-i-get-it-in https://patents.stackexchange.com/questions/13629/i-had-inve...

Mediterraneo10 9y ago

As the OpenStreetMap community has documented[1], this is unfortunately very much not open, and it is a real shame that a country would entrust something so public as addressing to a foreign, closed system. [1] https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/What3words https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/What3words

superasn 9y ago

Can using a block chain a good solution for it?

jlgaddis 9y ago
Of course! Blockchain is the solution for everything! /s
- superasn 9y ago
  Sorry I have a limited understanding of blockchain but what I meant is since people are already downloading the what3words app, using blockchain integration everyone can pick their own unique 3 words and the whole chain records who the address owner is. This way it becomes indestructible because if i understood correctly everyone has a copy of blockchain making it decentralized.