A PIONEERING website has been launched with the aim of becoming an online version of Speakers’ Corner.
Vocifer8.com has been developed to allow people to get things off their chest – especially with the General Election just around the corner.
The site wants to offer a voice to the “little man” and is aiming to become the first place that web users visit to gauge the mood of the nation.
Vocifer8.com has been developed by IT expert Ross Garvey and is described as an ad-hoc blogging site. Ross believes it will plug the gap between a conventional blog and Twitter, which only allows for a 140-character soundbite.
Ross, 49, said: “The site idea came from the fact that I found myself shouting at the TV or the radio if I heard something that I didn’t agree with. I thought it would be good to have somewhere on the internet where you could do the same and share your views with others.
“Lots of sites have facilities to add comments to pieces but they tend to be very specific. I thought it would be good to have a place where you could go to get it off your chest and share. Something akin to Speakers’ Corner in London.”
People who use Vocifer8.com – taken from the word vociferate – are called “shouters”
They can set their shout as “private” so they can work on it over time until they are happy with it before opening it up to cyberspace.
Ross, an independent IT consultant, from East Sussex, added: “Most people at some time will have something to say but they may not want to incur the overhead of creating and maintaining a blog.
“They may also need more than 140 characters to express themselves. Other sites have forums but tend to be limited to niche topics. Vocifer8.com does not limit the subjects or users. People can shout about anything and everything.
“Also, many psychologists suggest that getting things off your chest can relieve stress. Using Vocifer8.com is certainly better than kicking the dog or punching the wall.”
Vocifer8.com is currently being trialled in beta mode as Ross and his team assess how it is received by the online world. But the early signs are positive – and have left Ross pleasantly surprised.
He said: “It’s been a real surprise to see the demographic of the users of the site. We had expected computer-savvy people, but the site has also touched a nerve with the less technology-literate demographic who feel the site gives them a real voice.”
For more information contact Ross Garvey on 07970 847151 or email ross@vocifer8.com
