This script now integrates properly with both GMail and Google Reader. Reinstall and enjoy 🙂

“What?” you say, “You don’t use Facebook, Stephen, you’re so cool and geeky!” Ah, but unfortunately not all of my friends are, and I have been drawn in to the service. Mind you, I don’t spend hours reading the profiles of people I don’t know 😉 I do use it, however.

There’s one thing I’ve always hated about Facebook — the notifications system. Many too many emails flooding my inbox about what is happening, either that or I have to check the site regularly. No RSS on the things you actually want notifications of. Worst of all messages, the one thing you REALLY need notification of, won’t even send you an email.

The ‘official’ solution is to install the Facebook toolbar. I tried it, it’s nice, but I don’t use the service enough to warrant that screen real-estate OR that memory usage.

My solution is a Greasemonkey script. It integrates notifications of messages, group invites, event invites, and friend requests into the side of your GMail view. Install the script, go to GMail, click the Facebook logo and log in. For best results, check the ‘remember me’ checkbox (funny, you can’t have it remember you for logging in to the site, but for a third-party script you can…). Go back to your GMail and click the link that appeared where the Facebook logo used to be. Voila. If you checked the box, next time you go to GMail it should just display the notifications without intervention from yourself.

Die email notifications!

Userscripts.org entry