[OSM-talk] Is it technically and legally possible to add the Open Location Code to the OSM search?

[Craig Wallace]

On 2018-08-10 21:06, Simon Poole wrote:
> While the goals sound worthy, it is unclear if any of the grid systems
> (w3w, plus codes and so on) deliver on their promises and have any
> traction outside of people in countries with established addressing
> systems trying to push them as solutions for countries without.
>
> As I've pointed out before, if OSM supports a specific system, it
> amounts to us picking a winner , and I really don't think that is a good
> idea. w3w wants to make money from royalties, google wants to avoid
> paying them. Both have a financial interest in us adopting their
> systems. IMHO when one eventually "wins" we can start supporting it
> then, before one of them pasts the post, it is premature.

Or OSM could support a variety of different coordinate systems (so long 
as they are free/open).
It is possible to search for latitude/longitude on osm.org, why not also 
allow UTM/MGRS, Plus codes, Geohash etc.
OSM doesn't have to endorse one particular system as the best.