Facebook chat from Pidgin and Empathy

This procedure doesnt require you to install any packages. This procedure works perfectly for Pidgin. However if you want to enable facebook chat on Empathy, you will need to install Pidgin first (and then import accounts from there).

Open Pidgin (after installing of course; you can install Pidgin from the Ubuntu Software Center), and go to the Add accounts option (Accounts > Manage Accounts > Add). Now, select the protocol as XMPP, enter your username (mind you this is the username and not the email address), enter the password and select the domain as chat.facebook.com





Next, select the Advanced tab and disable the Require SSL/TLS option. Click on Add to finally activate it.




Thats it, if you're using Pidgin and want to use it as your preferred application. You may not read the rest of the post.

If however you're using Empathy, then keep reading.

After configuring Pidgin, the next time you launch Empathy, you will get a notification similar to this:



Now, simply click on the first option, i.e. Import my accounts details from Pidgin. And then select the accounts you want to import (just follow the on-screen instructions). And thats it.

(Of course adding the other accounts like google talk etc. is very easy on both Pidgin and Empathy. Just a bit of info though, this Empathy configuring which you needed to do, isnt needed at all in 10.04. The version of Empathy in 10.04 already has an option of adding account specifically for facebook.)

(Tip: If you dont get the notification from Empathy about importing accounts, remove all existing accounts from Empathy. The quit and restart Emapthy)

Explore Ubuntu is now on facebook

Explore Ubuntu is now on facebook ready with all the latest updates and info about everything Ubuntu.

The link to Explore Ubuntu's facebook page is here: Explore-Ubuntu

Thank you all for your continued support.

Useful Google Chrome extensions

Now that Google Chrome is available for Linux, there is an enormous misconception about Chrome extensions (or rather the lack of it). I will list here some of the very useful extensions, which are exceptional and perhaps indispensable when it comes to a proper Chrome experience.

1. Ad Block - "AdBlock for Chrome! Blocks ads all over the web." And very rightly so. It even blocks facebook ads! Personally, this is my favourite extension.

2. RSS Subscription Extension (by Google) - Adds one-click subscription to your toolbar. Does exactly that. Brilliant extension, cant live without this.

3. Shareaholic for Google Chrome - This is the same old famous shareaholic that we all fell in love with back in the Firefox days. Except, shareaholic for Chrome is only better! It has all the standard options, plus it also has a 'live' bit.ly URL shortener. So basically, you dont have to visit bit.ly everytime you need a shorter URL. Saves time. Efficient. Superb extension.

4. SmoothScroll - Scrolls the websites smoothly when scrolling with the mouse wheel or the keyboard. This will change your experience of browsing the web. If you havent used SmoothScroll earlier, try it out. Its beautiful.

5. Stop Autoplay for YouTube - Autoplay can sometimes get very annoying. This extension stops autoplay on YouTube and lets the video buffer before you press the play button. Great extension.


(If you havent installed Google Chrome for Linux, this is an earlier post explaining in very simple words the entire process of installation: How to Install Google Chrome)

Desktube...YouTube on your desktop

How many times have you wished there was a youtube app for the desktop? Well, from the looks of it, this has been the demand of users for a very long time. Only now has it been realised in the form of Desktube. Mind you, its not open source. However the development team behind this Adobe AIR app is quite active and even take the pains to send you personalised emails if you report a bug.

Its quite revolutionary in the sense that there's absolutely no other software which can do what it does, i.e help you watch youtube videos on a desktop app. Now I hope other companies spot the potential here and jump on this highly lucrative boat.

Anyway, the thing is this is quite a useful app, has loads of customisation options, lets you comment, add videos to your playlist etc. And the best part is that it even has twitter and facebook integration, so basically, in the long run and with some development, it could turn out to be a twitter and facebook client as well as a youtube viewer. Sounds good?

Well what are you waiting for? Give it a try.

Here's the link: Desktube

Ubuntu is seriously cool!

Just check out my desktop pics of some Ubuntu themes below. Cant imagine Windows looking that cool!

Also, the bundled and available apps are awesome. Pidgin, a messenger client logs you in to gtalk, IM, and facebook chat (yea you heard me right, facebook chat!) all at the same time, which is stunning! This is seriously better than anything I have ever used. There's even a faster version of firefox on linux and its called "Swiftfox". And for a change, it actually does what its name suggests. I noticed all these only because I installed it on my hard disk. Most people who use Live CD, most probably haven't used these features. However, all is not hunky dory. The thing is Ubuntu requires some basic knowledge of Linux and how it works. But the thing is, the Ubuntu forums are so brilliantly remarkable, they have already covered solutions of all problematic areas you are likely to face as a new user.

I seriously wonder when I'm gonna stop blogging about Ubuntu. It stuns me every single time I log in!