Use Twitter and Facebook with Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty) or Mint 11

Ubuntu's preferred Internet Messenger is not Pidgin which with a little love can happily act as your Twitter and Facebook  messenger/client.

You want to install the pidgin-microblog package which I think used to be called purple-pidgin:

sudo apt-get install pidgin-microblog

Strictly, Facebook doesn't need this, but it makes the experience nicer.

Now you want to start up Pidgin and do "Accounts/Manage Accounts" (or CTRL+a).

Add Twitter

"Add" (or ALT+a) then the protocol should be "TwitterIM"

and then "add and that's it"

Add Facebook

Facebook is almost the same, EXCEPT that you may or not actually know your Facebook username if you, like me have always used your email address and password.

You can find it at Facebook, in the top right hand corner there's drop down called "Account" then "Account Settings/Settings/Username" which will show you what it is.

Then back in Pidgin do "Accounts/Manage Accounts" (or CTRL+a) "Add" (or ALT+a) then the protocol should be "Facebook (XMPP)" and enter your details:

Note the Resource = Pidgin entry.

Have fun and please comment on any problems you come across.