From the first time I heard the work folksonomy I really liked the concept. The idea of building meta-data about places and things from the people who experience them really seems cool if you have an appreciation for sociability. However, I must say that the new twist on the concept offered by [murmur] provides people moving through places with thick descriptions rather than tagged information aggregated by collaborative filtering software. [murmur] is available in Toronto, San Jose, Vancouver, and Montreal. It is really an oral history project that allows you to access stories about places you pass through while you are there. But, the basic concept is much more than oral history.
[murmur] is a documentary oral history project that records stories and memories told about specific geographic locations…The stories are as personal as the relationship people have with the spaces they inhabit. Secret histories are unearthed, private truths unveiled and tales as diverse as the city itself are discovered and shared. All members of a community are encouraged to participate and contribute, so that the “voice” of [murmur] reflects the voices of the multicultural diversity that make up the city’s neighbourhoods. These are the stories that make up San Jose’s identity, but they’re kept inside of the heads of the people who live here. [murmur] brings that important archive out onto the streets, for all to hear and experience, and is always looking for new stories to add to it’s existing locations.
[murmur] isn’t a social networking service to help you connect with other people. It is rather a service that connects you with experiences other people you probably don’t know had with a place you visit. You locate the places with stories using the [murmur] website or by noticing the Green Ear as you walk through the city.
The stories exist as audio files played when you dial the code listed on the Green Ear. Now, consider the prospect of using such stories to document your experience with a local business.
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Skilful Minds 
[…] initially discussed place-based stories back in 2006, noting the way [murmur] provided people experiencing a place to add a story about […]