I have been a long time fan of Pidgin, using it on both my Windows and Linux systems. More recently I made the switch to Digsby, famed for it’s built in social network support and ability to handle emails, but after a couple of months using the application, I started getting weary of the increased memory and CPU usage, as well as the long load times.
So I came back to Pidgin. It loaded quicker, it supported more networks than before but it didn’t support one network I had become used to using more and more; Facebook Chat. Luckily for me, a quick Google search revealed a way to get Facebook Chat on my system.
Below is what I did to get this functionality:
1. Download a nifty little addon called Pidgin-FacebookChat from Google Code using this link.
2. Run the installer, this will add the necessary files to your Pidgin directory allowing you to connect to Facebook Chat.
3. Restart Pidgin and then select Accounts –> Manage Accounts from your top toolbar.
Inside this the accounts screen, select Facebook from the list and enter your credentials.
You should now be connected to Facebook Chat.
