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June 10, 2009 11:14 AM PDT

Log all your Facebook chats in Firefox

by Josh Lowensohn
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Facebook's built-in chat service is convenient, but where it lacks when compared to software-based chat tools is in letting users log past conversations. Facebook intentionally does not save full conversations, however it does keep a few lines from the last time you chatted with someone so you can pick up where you left off.

If you're looking for more though, there's a new Firefox add-on called Facebook Chat History Manager that saves all of your conversations locally. As long as you're using the browser with it installed, it saves everything and puts it into a log that can be filtered by friend or date. There is, however, no search function, so if you're looking for a specific word or phrase from a past chat, you'll have to view all your chats on one page, then use Firefox's built-in search tool. Hopefully a later version will add a way to search from the local index.

Since the extension saves all of your chats locally, you're totally hosed if your computer gets lost, stolen, or suffers failed hard drive. On the flip side of that, the chat log viewer is password protected, so there are no worries of someone else gaining access to your entire chat history.

If you're a heavy Facebook chat user who does not access the service through a software chat client, this extension is one of the easiest ways to log your chats, and definitely worth the download.

FB Chat History saves all your Facebook conversations as long as you're using the machine with the extension installed.

(Credit: CNET)
Josh Lowensohn writes for Webware.com, CNET's blog about Web applications and services. E-mail Josh, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Josh.
by MosX June 10, 2009 12:05 PM PDT
I can't imagine any heavy Facebook chat users NOT using a seperate client so this seems a little useless...
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by esafwan June 10, 2009 12:08 PM PDT
that really cool!!!
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by ospideyo June 10, 2009 1:00 PM PDT
Why would I want to log conversations?
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by Josh.Lowensohn June 10, 2009 1:17 PM PDT
To bring up minute details weeks, months, and years after you've forgotten saying them. I do this in Google Talk (via Gmail) all the time.
by danameiscody June 10, 2009 2:10 PM PDT
if you're that serious about Facebook chatting, get an instant message client such as Digsby. It looks exactly like AIM or any other Instant Message program, and is all encompassing (compatible with programs such as AIM, Yahoo, Myspace, ICQ, Google Talk, and YES FACEBOOK!)

http://www.digsby.com/?utm_campaign=new_n&utm_content=new&utm_medium=new&utm_source=new
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by idfubar July 2, 2009 1:10 AM PDT
Meebo is always an option...
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by bigtowron November 19, 2009 4:25 PM PST
anyone help please, downloaded this app but don't know how to use it / it doesn't work?!?!?!?!?
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