In what marks a departure from the norm, Intel has yesterday made available public betas of its free browser extension, “Mash Maker” for both Firefox and Internet Explorer 7.

“Mash Maker” is designed to allow users (they need not be Web developers and programmers in this case) mix and match and modify and customize Web pages to create their own custom mash-ups. The application is a product of Intel Research Labs, and while it is similar to existing mash-up tools in having a graphical design tool, it is way different, Intel claims, in letting mash-ups happen on the client rather than on the server. The idea is to let users either copy or customize widgets to different Web pages; in any case they have a gallery of widgets to choose from that the chip maker is offering. Widgets can be copied or extended using API, else JavaScript programmers can write their own widgets. Intel claims to have created several widgets already.
“Mash Maker” Architect, Robert Ennals, reportedly said, “Mash Maker” is about democratizing the process of customizing a Web site. Apparently “Mash Maker” drew inspiration from ‘Greasemonkey’, a Firefox extension that allows developers change the information display. Ennals expressed the view that they’re trying to change the nature of what the Internet is, where it’s not a collection of pages but a collection of information.

Those interested in downloading the “Mash Maker” public beta, do sign-up for an account on the “Mash Maker” Web site.