Mozilla preps social networking add-on

Mozilla is developing a new social networking component for its Firefox browser titled The Coop that could streamline the way people share info, the organization announced today. The add-on will borrow the concept of a chicken coop for organizing a user's friends: each friend portrait will serve as the gateway to an RSS news feed of everything a person chooses to publish, flashing when a friend updates a blog, Flickr photo gallery, or favorite YouTube videos. The aim would be to unify as many social networking tools as possible under one umbrella, Mozilla says.

The design is currently in the proof-of-concept phase, according to the software developers. However, the concept has already been prototyped and should be completely quickly relative to Firefox. Versions should support Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows PCs.

Mozilla has already tested social elements in the past. Its offshoot Flock browser is currently in beta testing and allows users to easily send or receive Flickr photos as well as keep better track of RSS-based news and searches.