Is the the economy version of a shout box?
Maybe...I'm in two minds about shoutboxes...their great for what they're supposed to be used for (just saying hello/Goodnight/clear your inbox or summat), but experience shows they get abused, and used as a chat room.
So when the shoutbox is busy, the forum is deathly quiet...and that's wot I dunna leke about 'em.