CNET goes live with Facebook Connect

I've just been informed by the engineering team here that we have completed integration of the Facebook Connect log-in system with CNET. Now, when you want to comment on a blog post on a CNET site, or add a user review, you can log in with your Facebook ID and password. If your computer is already logged in to Facebook, you won't have to log in at all.

There's a one-time step you might have to take first: If you already have a CNET ID and password, you can connect your CNET account and your Facebook account. Just log out of CNET, log back in using the Facebook option, and follow the step to merge your IDs. From that point on, you can sign in to CNET with your Facebook ID if you're not already logged in to Facebook.

Log in to CNET with your Facebook ID. Handy.

As I've said before, the benefit for us, and for other sites that use this tool, is that Facebook Connect makes it easier to log in to our sites (since more people are likely to frequently use and remember their Facebook credentials than their various IDs for different sites), and also users who contribute to our stories can have that activity reflected on their Facebook streams. That's basically free advertising for CNET. Sending CNET comments to Facebook is completely optional for users, though, if you feel that your CNET activity would clutter your Facebook feed.

Drop a note to [e-mail] if you want to share feedback on our implementation with the team that did it.

Previous stories:
Facebook Connect: Scary but good
In ID platform race, Facebook Connect grabs lead.

[hminaya]

Hey, it's working..!!!!

[merelogic]

Doesn't work that well with chrome.

[DaveHanna]

Works with Safari, though. Go figure...

[tirwinjr]

holy wow!

[Kirk101]

sweet it works. Great work CNet

[k9disc]

Testing... Testing... testing...

[mauitimetommy]

Hey Rafe! Facebook Connect was very easy. Testing now as I'n interested for my site as well.

[allentomdude]

I'd rather be using OpenID, but pretty cool!

[rreddy4]

OpenID is becoming the thing of the past and part of the reason is it is more complex to use.

[tdaloisio]

Open ID is complex...at least more complex than it needs to be. I logged in once with my Yahoo ID, then my wordpress ID, then some OPEN ID to email thing....Facebook Connect is much simpler and then sends these comments out to my network to go check out. Everything I want out of a commenting system.

[toresteen]

If you want the best of FacebookConnect, MyspaceID, and Google then checck out RPX at http://rpxnow.com. It is easy to get up and running on your site and allows you to accept users coming with a Facebook ID, Google, MySpace, Yahoo, or AOL OpenID all in one interface.

[rreddy4]

Whoo...been waiting for this. Had always been too lazy to create another username just for cnet.

[sanjayb]

Just checking to see if it works.

[sanjayb]

Yeah. It works!!

[sanjayb]

Once more in firefox.

[sanjayb]

Didn't work. trying it again!

[Lee Koo (ADMIN)]

@sanjay

Are you still having issues? If so, please post your difficulties here in this specific CNET forum thread:
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-12549_102-0.html?forumID=137&threadID=320063&messageID=2926598#2926598

One of our developers will hopefully be able to figure what's going on with your account.

Thanks!
-Lee Koo
CNET Community

[nicmart]

CNET will not admit to a conflict of interest when it reports on Facebook, right?

[TacticalMedic]

Nice, soon enough all I'll have to do is logon to one account and I'll be able to connect to everything. Or maybe that isn't such a good thing after all..... Thanks CNET!

[rafe]

As I've written in previous stories, I was not involved in CNET's decision to implement Facebook Connect. However, I'm glad we did it. But to be clear, I think it would be even better if we also supported Google Friend Connect and OpenID.

[I_C_E]

First time I used connect-great implementation, it's the classic example that no what how much you read or know about a subject, the first user experience is the key to the opinion. I loved it.

[OctoChops]

AWESOME!! All websites should totally do this. (that is if they want their user base to quadruple overnight). I lurk all over cnet everyday but never bothered making an account.

You guys rock for this

[Bonojohn]

cool

[Rahsaan]

kool. it really does work

[DJ_Etch-A-Sketch]

Cool bean, I'm up and running! I've wanted something like this to happen for quite a while: all of the major sites that require an account would instead use one major one instead, like a Facebook account. Great idea guys, keep it up!

[shivbirsingh]

I really like how Facebook Connect works. A few us published a deck that highlights some of the amazing opportunities around FB Connect. Like what an Amazon implementation could do for example. Take a look at it here - http://www.goingsocialnow.com/2008/12/imagine-if-amazon-integrated-f.html

[bakedpatato]

can't resist saying this works.
Good one,cnet.

[ywywywyw]

Just testing.

[MarkjMayhew]

cool, good move, imho, traffic your your site should increase (by integrating with Facebook Connect)

[Collin1000]

I dont see the point, I still had to log in with my cnet ID and it takes just as long to log in with FB or cnet.

[merelogic]

actually it's not meant for you, It's meant for those who don't have a cnet ID for some reason.

[mrorie]

Cool.

[sammysam307]

Does this really work ?