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GIShell

2011-07-07 03:13:13.874458+00 by meuon 4 comments

For all of you folks with PhD's (or wanting to have one) in GIS systems, Locational Based Data Systems.. etc.. missed the conversation today at a utility that would have made your head explode:

Mike: What is their address?

Other: "Entrando por el colmado Luis 3 casas de despues" Which essentially means: 3 doors past Luis's Mini-mini-mini market.

Mike: "Going which way? On what road?"

Other: -blank stare-

Yes, it's in the system as "3 doors down.."

[ related topics: History Economics ]

comments in descending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment Re: made: 2011-07-10 04:41:03.565536+00 by: ebradway

spl: Too bad they are all in Dutch! I'm sure that makes Google walking directions fun.

#Comment Netherlands made: 2011-07-08 17:49:41.948773+00 by: spl [edit history]

On the flip side, even sidewalks and bike paths have names in the Netherlands.

#Comment Re: made: 2011-07-08 08:08:03.588092+00 by: ebradway [edit history]

Street addresses in Latin America (and Africa and most of Asia) do not conform to any particular rules.

It's also astounding to see how semi-developed nations lack road sinage. In San Jose, Costa Rica, the capital of a country with one of the highest literacy rates in the world, I found my way to a restaurant by counting parks and matching statues in my guidebook.

Of course, navigating the back alleys of London wasn't much better. Try locating Ye Olde Chesire Cheese. It's the oldest pub in London (dating to the days of Columbus' voyage) but you'll want to make it first on your list because you aren't going to find it after hitting another pub! The address "145 Fleet Street" doesn't seem too bad except that it's the address for the alleyway called "Wine Office Court". So there is no building marked "145 Fleet Street" and that alley isn't straight.

#Comment Re: made: 2011-07-07 15:32:33.108167+00 by: Dan Lyke

Grins. Perfect example of local coordinate spaces.

Do they need someone to help 'em set up a system to build a better geography framework?