Facebook Chat

What an interesting and potentially profound new feature for a massively utilized website.

First, I feel I must disclose some thoughts running through my head about "IM" as we know it.

I primarily use AIM (with Pidgin) and Google Talk (through both Gmail and the Windows client). Both of these programs are generally running on my system. And as it so happens most of the people I regularly instant-message are only on those respective networks; in other words, they don't use Facebook at all.

Insofar, I have only spoken with people I normally talk to on AIM or GTalk. I am curious as to whether Facebook Chat will inspire people who are "only Facebook friends" or "oh, I went to high school with him" contacts or any others who normally don't hold IM conversations to, er, do so.

And an IM is quite different from an e-mail or a 'wall post'. IMs are real-time. They're direct. When two people are having an active conversation, it feels like... an active conversation. Not a spell checked letter or a fleeting, non-committing piece of communication graffiti. Then again, on a whim a message like "Shitty exam today, huh?" to someone who is, anyway, your friend... why not?

If this ends up being the case, Facebook will not only have implemented one hell of an effective chat client, they will have opened up an IM network that is made up of a substantial number of people who they likely never IM'd each other before in their lives.

Facebook is not by any means the first instance of IM in the web browser. Meebo proves that the web provides a platform almost as functional as an operating system, and the Google Talk chat box inside of GMail demonstrates the same kind of "Locked to the Browser Bottom" minimizable windows.

Anyway, on to the interface stuff.


The new chat bar, which should be available to all Facebook users with a decent browser, spans the bottom of the browser window snugly, not quite reaching the edges. From the right, there's a button labeled 'Chat', then 'Notifications', then 'Online Friends', and finally all of the chat sessions that are engaged.



The actual chatting is very nice. I've experienced no lag. The window is topped with the contact's name and picture, and their status, if they have one. The chat displays the name and timestamp for the first message sent, and just the text on a new line after that, until there's a response. The results are clean and readable.



The Buddy List. Er, "Online Friends." When you press the button, the buddy list pops up like this, separated into online and idle contacts. Their status is listed in part (and in full with a tool-tip), and everyone - for once - has a picture! (Usually a relevant photo, too, not one of these. Oh, and there's an option to keep the buddy list on top at all times, if you like.



The little "Chat" button provides some basic options. You can set your status here, go offline, or change a few settings. You can also "Pop Out" the Chat, which results in this:


This appears to be the only manner in which you can "pop out". (Break on through to the other side?) There is space for chatting with one contact, which can be shrunk down to the same size as before, but only one person at a time. You navigate through multiple engaged conversations with tabs exactly like in AIM 6 and other IM clients with vertical tabs. There appears to be no way to have separate windows. There is also no way to collapse the friends list permanently glued in place. It's a Swiss-army knife of a box, but completely UNcustomizable.


This is what the chat bar shrinks to inside of the browser when in "Popped Out" mode.


If you're curious, that's what the chat bar looks like when you go offline. It doesn't shrink and there appears to be no direct way to completely disable it (short of using an incompatible browser).


Chat Bar with all windows minimized. From left:
Unread message from this contact. (The little red box bounces once, too.)
She's gone offline.
He's online, no new messages.
It's actually a pretty informative interface. Simple and effective.

Please comment with your current thoughts on Facebook Chat.