TL;DR: see [3] for an overview of how plus codes work.
-----------------
>Plus Codes have little application outside building addressing.
This claim needs some arguing.
>If I tell you I'm at 4CFM+JW, come get me, you're going to be pretty helpless, because I didn't include the city.
So why would you tell me that? Either include the city, or use a longer plus code that includes the city.
Example from the spec[1]:
>>Nairobi Youth Sports Organization and Information Centre in Kibera, Nairobi, has the Open Location Code "6GCRMQPX9G". Using the location of Nairobi, the code can be shortened to "MQPX9G".
>How about upping the precision?
Use longer codes! It's all in the spec[1]. Again, quote:
>>Using a single grid refinement step, we have an 11 digit code that represents a 1/32000° by 1/40000° area (roughly 3.4 by 2.7 meters at the equator).
Now, regarding this:
>Want to shift a little to the east? 4CFM+JX works, but 4CFM+JY?
This is by design; some symbols were omitted to avoid having words in codes (which, as TFA discusses, can be problematic, e.g. some places might not be happy with codes that have EVIL in them).
>Maybe there's a way to do that, but I haven't found it yet.
The spec[1] is open, and it's all in there!
It is not as simple as what you expected, due to the design constraint above. But that is a tradeoff that I think is reasonable. After all, these addresses are going to be punched into a computer anyway.
E.g. play with the addresses here[2].
I'm really excited to see more development in this space, because one size does not fit all. However, it's important to know what existing systems get right too.
(E.g.: English W3W looks like way easier to say on the phone).
Disclaimer: I work for Google/Geo, the opinions expressed here are mine, and not of my employer.
[1]https://github.com/google/open-location-code/blob/master/doc...
[2]https://plus.codes/map
[3]https://plus.codes/howitworks
