More and more protocols and data formats are being extended by methods to add geographic information. However, all of those options are tied to that specific protocol or data format.
A dedicated Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) scheme for geographic locations would be independent from any protocol, usable by any software/data format that can handle generich URIs. Like a “mailto:” URI launches your favourite mail application today, a “geo:” URI could soon launch your favourite mapping service, or queue that location for a navigation device.
Making the format as simple as possible allows to jot down “geo:” URIs, like you jot down email addresses today. An example for a simple “geo:” URI (St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna, Austria) could look like:
geo:48.208333,16.372778
(you browser will not be able to handle this Link yet, of course)
This blog is about the development of the “geo:” URI scheme. The first goal is the publication of an Internet Draft withing the IETF, probably progressing it to a RFC, and having the URI scheme registered with IANA.
What about supporting non-latitude, longitude locations? You give St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna, Austria as an example, but then we’re supposed to look up the latitude and longitude. What about street addresses?
What about models other than WGS84?