Messages - Facebook ID numbers instead of Names

The thing is, I've used Adium for FB occationally. Adium isn't perfect either. It pops up the FB authentication in a web browser like small window and you enter your FB password. Sometimes this fails (and it fails for extended periods of time, like weeks). I've noticed this over a several month period, at which time I was using a PC as my main computer so not having FB Adium chat on my MBP wasn't a big deal.

So I guess the point is, it is possible that it is some little FB changes that totally screw with 3rd party messaging systems. Cat and mouse game, but this time its Apple (or Adium) chasing the FB changes.

Forcibly adding the contact name to your local contact list seems to prevent reversion of that particular contact to Facebook contact ID number, but Contact image still remains generic. And this seems like a very labour intensive process to fixing a problem that wasn't there a few days ago.

Seems like a fb issue now. Probably how FB interacts with Jabber. Because, I have Pidgin on a Win 7 machine, and while the problem isn't as bad as it is in Messages, I did notice a couple contacts are showing up as numbers (but the pictures are still there). This is probably something that is being done on FB's end, and 3rd party players are going to continually play catch-up on making it work..

The fact that it's exactly every 10 minutes does seem a little odd, but we have verified that this happens in Guest Accounts, Safe Mode and on other OSes, so I don't think another app is the culprit here.

A little off topic, but has Apple mentioned anything publically about Facebook support in 10.8? It seems long overdue since it's integrated into iOS.

Magician: What do you mean? Facebook has been integrated into OS X for a while now.

~Bee and others: It's not irregular for software that has to poll an API to have a regular heartbeat. The assumption that it's other software seems a more odd assessment to me, since we can see that it's an issue for a large number of people including people on several machines. Most Mac users don't run interfering software, anyway!

Dot --

I'm confused. Are you running a Mac? Your profile indicates Windown 7, and nothing else.

Most Mac users don't run interfering software, anyway!

Really? I wish that were true. Too many former PC usering are loading up their Macs with Norton, Intego, Sophos, etc., because they expect all kinds of attacks. Loading those onto a Mac is similar to beating it up with a sledgehammer, IMHO.

I don't keep my profile up to date, but it is now, if it pleases you.

We have 5 fully upgraded 27" iMacs at the workplace, as well as 2 MBPs, a Mac Mini and a Mac Pro, one used as a file server. There's an iPad 2 thrown in there as well for testing.

I myself own a 15" MBPr, an iPad 2 and an iPhone 4.

I've never seen a user with any anti virus or firewall enabled under OS X. I agree that it's like that. 😝

I've never seen a user with any anti virus or firewall enabled under OS X. I agree that it's like that. 😝

Unfortunately, we see users installing all manner of A/V, Internet 'security', firewall, etc., software around here. That type of software frequently is the root case of many, many problems. ~Bee's just following protocol!

Clinton

Wow! We've seen tons of them. Boy, I wish I lived in your world, LOL.

Seriously, we spent eons trying to help former PC users who immediately load up Norton & Intego on their brand new Macs. Or their Safari got slow, so they go to the web and download all kinds of AV, Security & Malware apps, not realizing that none of them are relevent on a Mac.

Thanks for updating your specs on your Profile. It makes a huge difference -- with that information, we now know you're one of us.

😉

DotFreelance: For Facebook integration, I was talking mostly about messages. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't adding Facebook to Messages still require manually adding [yourFacebookName]@chat.facebook.com as a Jabber account and setting the port to 5222 and all of that? This method can only use Facebook's "last resort" API method of username/password verification, whereas if Messages was more "aware" of Facebook, it could use the OAuth authentication techinque which doesn't limit us to plaintext messages (sending pictures, files, etc.)

Hi Ralph,

I'm sorry to say that you misread the linked post. The link only takes you to FBs "Report an issue" -page. So the problem is still there and FB hasn't in any way responded to the reports I've posted there, and probably not anyone elses either I suppose. Guess we'll just have to wait it out or get used to using the browser based chat, annoying as it may be.

Best regards,

Johnny.

Thanks Ralph,

This is what we are waiting for. Confirmation that it is 100% faebook. I keep going to face book help but have not seen anything about this yet so they probably do not want to admit anything yet

I sent a link to this discussion to a friend of mine who works at Facebook. He said that he had filed a ticket, but said that there wasn't a way for the public to monitor that ticket. If anyone knows of another way to report to Facebook, it would probably be helpful.

I've sent a couple of reports on their "Report an issue" page. And I've found two threads in FBs chat forum, where I have replied to the newest of them. I don't know where to get the tickets for my reports to FB, but if anyone can tell me I'd definetly link to them.

Best regards,

Johnny.