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Same. I initially only uninstalled messenger (which intolerably presented me with a popup asking me to enable notifications EVERY TIME I OPENED THE APP), then g

Same. I initially only uninstalled messenger (which intolerably presented me with a popup asking me to enable notifications EVERY TIME I OPENED THE APP), then got rid of the FB app. Now even on my laptop facebook.com is pointing at localhost in /etc/hosts, which makes me edit a root file to look at it. I'm much, much happier. If it works for you, cool, but if you're dissatisfied and considering abandoning it anyway, I can offer anecdotally that it has been a great decision for me. (The only reason I don't close my account: I check it once every week or so, because I have older family members for whom this is probably as far as they're going into the world of social media and I feel a bit guilty either pressuring them to use some alternative or disconnecting from them further, as they are unlikely to understand my dissatisfaction with the FB product and much more likely to take it personally)

mafuyu 9y ago
I installed the Lite version of Messenger, and it's way better. (Not available in the US App Store; there are verified APKs floating around the internet.) It's just a bare-bones chat app that launches when I want it, without all the nagging about chat bubbles, their Snapchat knockoff, and whatever else.
- toomanybeersies 9y ago
  I picked up Messenger Lite when I was in Fiji. My phone isn't very good and struggled with normal Messenger. With Messenger Lite, not only does it take a lot less space, it's a lot faster, and feels less bloaty. It's a lot like what Messenger was a few years ago, nice and simple. I don't want to use Messenger to play games, or send giphys, or any of that other rich interaction stuff. The only thing I miss is the ability to send a pin of your location to someone, which is actually a really useful feature.
- hammock 9y ago
  You can also go to Facebook on Chrome and request the desktop version of the site- Messages will work in that. That way you don't have to install a Messages app.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
  - sixhobbits 9y ago
    This used to work for me but stopped a while ago on android (still seems to work on iPhones somehow). mbasic.facebook.com is a really nice fast and minimalist interface where messages still work and I use it exclusively now.
  - pound 9y ago
    Actually it worked for me only to read messages. When I tried to reply all the characters I've entered were disappearing so only sent dash and few commas. Bizarre and that was a new low reached by fb in their push of messenger app on mobile.
  - takeda 9y ago
    Actually you don't need to use desktop version. It tries to make you install it, but if you just click back to exit Play Store, and on the FB page to prompt the installation there's a faint X that you can click. At least it works in Opera Mobile. Interestingly if I leave the tab open I also get notifications if someone responded.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- enragedcacti 9y ago
  https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/facebook-2/messenger-lite/ https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/facebook-2/messenger-lite/ is a reputable source for anyone who's interested.
- shams93 9y ago
  The lite version is available in the us but it still drains your battery lol just not as horrible as the main line messenger app
tgb 9y ago
Actual question: what's the point of Messenger if you don't have notifications enabled?
- ygjb 9y ago
  To communicate with other people on my terms, when I want to communicate. It's the same reason there are only a few phone numbers that can actually make my phone ring (my wife, the school my children attend, and pager duty (:P)) My device exists for my convenience.
  - hollerith 9y ago
    >there are only a few phone numbers that can actually make my phone ring Could you describe briefly how to configure that state of affairs? What OS do you use?
    - Spooky23 9y ago
      You put iOS in DND mode and whitelist VIPs by starring them or putting them in a contact group.
    - _tulpa 9y ago
      Android 7 (lineage/cyanogen at least) can do this. Settings>Sound>Do Not Disturb>Priority only allows You can limit notifications to starred contacts only for calls and also SMS, and then only star the contacts you want to allow.
    - astura 9y ago
      In Android Do Not Disturb mode can do this. You can set it to "priority only" and define who is the priority contacts. iOS should have a similar function.
    - pjc50 9y ago
      Poor man's version of this: set your ringtone to a silent MP3, then apply custom tones to those people you actually want to hear.
source99 9y ago
Uninstalling the app and redirecting facebook.com to localhost are great ideas. I also sometimes logout of facebook.com on chrome on my phone so that it makes it even harder to get back on. Now if I could only do the same for reddit...
- rixed 9y ago
  Since we are into personal anecdotes: the annoying giant red blinking popup they display all the time to force you to download the app instead of using the mobile website was all I needed to get entirely rid of my habit to visit Reddit, and I like the idea that I might not be the only one.
  - devmunchies 9y ago
    reddit is not far off from facebook to being a total time suck. i'd like to just be in a couple educational/technical subs or quit entirely but that /r/popular, it just calls out to people.
paulie_a 9y ago
I am honestly wondering if there is an inside joke for tech companies attempting to make the worst possible messaging app. Facebook messenger is god awful ugly, same with snapchat. Google Hangouts is ok at best (I personally have not used Google's other dozen or so messaging apps they have)
- cm2187 9y ago
  ....and Microsoft' stellar success with Skype
- smcl 9y ago
  GChat used to be great - it was simple, relatively lightweight and quick. Then it was rebranded Hangouts and became a little muddled and unwieldy for a brief period when Whatsapp was ascendent which nearly overnight caused my entire group of friends to switch. You're right about the IM apps being not great. This and the poor state of desktop email clients on Windows and Linux are my pet hates
  - debaserab2 9y ago
    I'm sorry, but what? I've had facebook messenger, gchat/hangouts installed on my phone for some time. I don't know if I'd call it great, but I have a hard time arguing that it doesn't immediately solve my instant messaging needs. What exactly do you want that gchat or facebook messenger doesnt solve?
    - jacobolus 9y ago
      I want open chat protocols so I can use whatever client I damn well please (e.g. Adium, Pidgin, some terminal thing, or a bot made from a little python script, ...). Whenever I’m stuck using a centralized service (Twitter, facebook, some web forum, whatever bullshit IRC replacement businesses are buying this week, ...) their client invariably does something different than what many people want it to do, but we have no recourse because everything is locked-down proprietary bullshit, even though most of the messages are plain text and could have been delivered just fine by open protocols in 1990. Not to mention these apps are all poorly designed resource hogs that spy on everyone, inject ugly ads, and burn mobile battery.
billysielu 9y ago
This guy has been talking about it for a while, see: http://www.timewellspent.io/ http://www.timewellspent.io/

mafuyu 9y ago

I installed the Lite version of Messenger, and it's way better. (Not available in the US App Store; there are verified APKs floating around the internet.) It's just a bare-bones chat app that launches when I want it, without all the nagging about chat bubbles, their Snapchat knockoff, and whatever else.

toomanybeersies 9y ago
I picked up Messenger Lite when I was in Fiji. My phone isn't very good and struggled with normal Messenger. With Messenger Lite, not only does it take a lot less space, it's a lot faster, and feels less bloaty. It's a lot like what Messenger was a few years ago, nice and simple. I don't want to use Messenger to play games, or send giphys, or any of that other rich interaction stuff. The only thing I miss is the ability to send a pin of your location to someone, which is actually a really useful feature.
hammock 9y ago
You can also go to Facebook on Chrome and request the desktop version of the site- Messages will work in that. That way you don't have to install a Messages app.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- sixhobbits 9y ago
  This used to work for me but stopped a while ago on android (still seems to work on iPhones somehow). mbasic.facebook.com is a really nice fast and minimalist interface where messages still work and I use it exclusively now.
- pound 9y ago
  Actually it worked for me only to read messages. When I tried to reply all the characters I've entered were disappearing so only sent dash and few commas. Bizarre and that was a new low reached by fb in their push of messenger app on mobile.
- takeda 9y ago
  Actually you don't need to use desktop version. It tries to make you install it, but if you just click back to exit Play Store, and on the FB page to prompt the installation there's a faint X that you can click. At least it works in Opera Mobile. Interestingly if I leave the tab open I also get notifications if someone responded.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
enragedcacti 9y ago
https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/facebook-2/messenger-lite/ https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/facebook-2/messenger-lite/ is a reputable source for anyone who's interested.
shams93 9y ago
The lite version is available in the us but it still drains your battery lol just not as horrible as the main line messenger app

tgb 9y ago

Actual question: what's the point of Messenger if you don't have notifications enabled?

ygjb 9y ago
To communicate with other people on my terms, when I want to communicate. It's the same reason there are only a few phone numbers that can actually make my phone ring (my wife, the school my children attend, and pager duty (:P)) My device exists for my convenience.
- hollerith 9y ago
  >there are only a few phone numbers that can actually make my phone ring Could you describe briefly how to configure that state of affairs? What OS do you use?
  - Spooky23 9y ago
    You put iOS in DND mode and whitelist VIPs by starring them or putting them in a contact group.
  - _tulpa 9y ago
    Android 7 (lineage/cyanogen at least) can do this. Settings>Sound>Do Not Disturb>Priority only allows You can limit notifications to starred contacts only for calls and also SMS, and then only star the contacts you want to allow.
  - astura 9y ago
    In Android Do Not Disturb mode can do this. You can set it to "priority only" and define who is the priority contacts. iOS should have a similar function.
  - pjc50 9y ago
    Poor man's version of this: set your ringtone to a silent MP3, then apply custom tones to those people you actually want to hear.

source99 9y ago

Uninstalling the app and redirecting facebook.com to localhost are great ideas. I also sometimes logout of facebook.com on chrome on my phone so that it makes it even harder to get back on. Now if I could only do the same for reddit...

rixed 9y ago
Since we are into personal anecdotes: the annoying giant red blinking popup they display all the time to force you to download the app instead of using the mobile website was all I needed to get entirely rid of my habit to visit Reddit, and I like the idea that I might not be the only one.
- devmunchies 9y ago
  reddit is not far off from facebook to being a total time suck. i'd like to just be in a couple educational/technical subs or quit entirely but that /r/popular, it just calls out to people.

paulie_a 9y ago

I am honestly wondering if there is an inside joke for tech companies attempting to make the worst possible messaging app. Facebook messenger is god awful ugly, same with snapchat. Google Hangouts is ok at best (I personally have not used Google's other dozen or so messaging apps they have)

cm2187 9y ago
....and Microsoft' stellar success with Skype
smcl 9y ago
GChat used to be great - it was simple, relatively lightweight and quick. Then it was rebranded Hangouts and became a little muddled and unwieldy for a brief period when Whatsapp was ascendent which nearly overnight caused my entire group of friends to switch. You're right about the IM apps being not great. This and the poor state of desktop email clients on Windows and Linux are my pet hates
- debaserab2 9y ago
  I'm sorry, but what? I've had facebook messenger, gchat/hangouts installed on my phone for some time. I don't know if I'd call it great, but I have a hard time arguing that it doesn't immediately solve my instant messaging needs. What exactly do you want that gchat or facebook messenger doesnt solve?
  - jacobolus 9y ago
    I want open chat protocols so I can use whatever client I damn well please (e.g. Adium, Pidgin, some terminal thing, or a bot made from a little python script, ...). Whenever I’m stuck using a centralized service (Twitter, facebook, some web forum, whatever bullshit IRC replacement businesses are buying this week, ...) their client invariably does something different than what many people want it to do, but we have no recourse because everything is locked-down proprietary bullshit, even though most of the messages are plain text and could have been delivered just fine by open protocols in 1990. Not to mention these apps are all poorly designed resource hogs that spy on everyone, inject ugly ads, and burn mobile battery.

billysielu 9y ago

This guy has been talking about it for a while, see: http://www.timewellspent.io/ http://www.timewellspent.io/