snip ----------
Facebook respects your freedom if you use the mbasic mode.
snip ----------
I don't know what oralfloss means by this. I imagine mbasic mode is some sort
of mobile mode? In any case I doubt facebook even releases the source of all
the code you run through their server. Much less give you the ability to copy
or modify it. I don't see how this could respect your freedom. Without
further explanation I would say it does not.
snip ----------
Disregarding privacy and tracking, you can also use Facebook Chat with an
XMPP client like Pidgin.
snip ----------
As far as I understand (I have never used this), facebook chat does not use
XMPP. Rather, it emulates it so you can connect to it using Pidgin. This
means you can only chat to other facebook users. So, it is not XMPP and not
an open standard. Rather, a proprietary chat that interfaces with Pidgin
through some sort of API. Again, something that does not excite me. Since I
do not use facebook and I have no intention to endorse its use, I would think
that using their proprietary chat service would mean just that. Perhaps
slightly better than using it through their software platform, but not much
of an improvement. That being said, I would also refuse to sign into Skype if
they allowed it on Pidgin, as long as they do not allow me to communicate
with Skype users through an open standard. I just refuse to opt-in to
"monopolistic/gated virtual community" practices.
Maybe I'm too strict about it. Who knows. The result is I have very few
people I can chat with. For now. I would rather dedicate my time to
convincing a few of them to run a real XMPP than use fb myself. I have
convinced 2 people so far. Not very good :(
