First Look: Facebook integration in OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.2

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Apple on Thursday provided developers with a beta release of OS X 10.8.2, offering a sneak peek into how one of the most talked-about inclusions, system-wide Facebook integration, will work when it launches in a software update later this year..

While Apple has traditionally limited system-wide content sharing to microblogging service Twitter, the company announced it would be adding options for Facebook in both iOS and OS X in the near future.

Currently, supported applications in OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion have a "Share Sheet" button which allows users to distribute content via iMessage, Twitter and email. With OS X 10.8.2, Facebook has been added to the list of services available, making it easier to share web pages, photos and other digital media to the ubiquitous social network.

Setup

Facebook integration can be setup from any compatible app, as is the case with first-party Apple software like iPhoto as seen below. The quick and easy setup process should be available in participating third-party apps when the public version of 10.8.2 goes live as Share Sheets are a system-wide utility.

iPhoto Share Sheet
Facebook joins sharing options for Flickr, Twitter and iCloud's Photo Stream in iPhoto.


Users can also share images directly from the desktop by right-clicking an image file and selecting Facebook from the "share" menu. Non-image files and folders are not supported at this time, and it is unclear if Apple or Facebook will allow more robust sharing options in the future.

Image Sharing


Aside from photo sharing, a seeming necessity for the social network scene, web browsers like Apple's Safari are another place where Facebook sharing can come in handy. Instead of clipping a webpage or linking directly to a source manually, the integrated system allows users to quickly share interesting sites with the click of a button.

Identical in appearance to the Share Sheet button seen in Safari on OS X 10.8.1, the beta version simply adds a Facebook asset to the list of supported services.

Safari Share Sheet


Once a user clicks on the Facebook option from the drop-down menu, a pop-up notification window appears alerting them that the sharing option has not yet been configured on OS X. A few simple steps are needed to register, with the only information needed being a Facebook username and corresponding password. The sign-in process is identical to Apple's solution for other services like Twitter and Flickr.

Facebook Configuration


To page 2 of 3: Configuring Facebook integration

Configuring Facebook integration

Users are directed to OS X's Mail, Contacts and Calendars setup pane where an informational page describes what programs Facebook can access. Also noted are a number of settings options regarding sharing settings and permissions warnings.

In the beta, OS X did not ask for an administrator password when agreeing to Facebook's access permissions, however this could change when the software sees public release.

Facebook Configuration Information


Facebook can access contacts stored locally on a Mac, which in turn can access those saved in iCloud depending on a user's sync settings. The option can be unchecked and is not required for operation.

Setup Page


Confirmation Page


To page 3 of 3: Sharing

Sharing

The sharing UI is identical to the Twitter card seen in iOS 5 and OS X 10.8, complete with image thumbnail and space for text. Unlike the Twitter version, Facebook sharing allows users to specify who will see the shared post, a feature present in the network's web client and iOS app.

When posting photos, the Share Sheet allows users to place the image on their wall or in any of their photo galleries, including the automatically-generated "OS X Photos."

Sharing UI


Facebook sharing also allows users to tag posts with location data, though the system is slightly inaccurate on OS X due to reliance on IP addresses rather than GPS in iOS.

Location


After clicking "post," the resulting acton appeared immediately on Facebook's timeline.

Facebook Sharing
«134

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 64
    oflifeoflife Posts: 120member


    A tragic dumbing down of a once superb OS. FB is a toxic entity that has done more to create a generation of callous dystopian voyeuristic narcissistic shallow low IQ individuals than any other invention in recent history outside of American daytime TV or anything on Sky (UK) that isn't the sports, History or Discover channel. FB has few positive attributes and Apple who are supposed to develop engines of creation that inspire people to create have lost their way. No wonder the Mac Pro's have not been updated in years and the iPad doesn't have a proper high resolution stylus. I for one, whilst finding Apple hardware such as the MBA, Mac Mini and iPod Touch superb, will question my continued loyalty to the platform if they do not reconsider their current immature mind numbing consumption based path. I already boycott all services and publications that require an FB login to gain access and will have no hesitation to drop Apple in full after over 20 years of loyalty if this behaviour does not stop. I hope others comprehend what I am getting at here and will back me up. I estimate 5% will 'Like', the rest will 'Hate'.

  • Reply 2 of 64
    tinktink Posts: 395member


    I hope the integration includes Facebook Pages! 


     


    Our company created our company Facebook Page linked/started/attached from a personal account. That personal account is private and was only used to start our company page.


     


    It would be great for each of our separate administrators to be able to post to our company page and not be blocked! :-)


    Some Facebook apps still will only access the primary account...which for us and many many companies and people would be useless.


     


    So Apple, please make sure that integration allows posting/sharing to Facebook Pages!

  • Reply 3 of 64
    idaveidave Posts: 1,283member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Oflife View Post


    A tragic dumbing down of a once superb OS. FB is a toxic entity that has done more to create a generation of callous dystopian voyeuristic narcissistic shallow low IQ individuals than any other invention in recent history outside of American daytime TV or anything on Sky (UK) that isn't the sports, History or Discover channel. FB has few positive attributes and Apple who are supposed to develop engines of creation that inspire people to create have lost their way. No wonder the Mac Pro's have not been updated in years and the iPad doesn't have a proper high resolution stylus. I for one, whilst finding Apple hardware such as the MBA, Mac Mini and iPod Touch superb, will question my continued loyalty to the platform if they do not reconsider their current immature mind numbing consumption based path. I already boycott all services and publications that require an FB login to gain access and will have no hesitation to drop Apple in full after over 20 years of loyalty if this behaviour does not stop. I hope others comprehend what I am getting at here and will back me up. I estimate 5% will 'Like', the rest will 'Hate'.





    I agree and hope there's a simple way to ignore the Facebook integration.

  • Reply 4 of 64

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by iDave View Post




    I agree and hope there's a simple way to ignore the Facebook integration.



     


    How to ignore it......hmmmmmmm...........................I'VE GOT IT!!!!   Don't use it. Brilliant!


     


    Next on my bucket list is trying to convince Apple to strip all features out of Mac OSX that I don't personally use.

  • Reply 5 of 64

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Oflife View Post


    A tragic dumbing down of a once superb OS. FB is a toxic entity that has done more to create a generation of callous dystopian voyeuristic narcissistic shallow low IQ individuals than any other invention in recent history outside of American daytime TV or anything on Sky (UK) that isn't the sports, History or Discover channel. FB has few positive attributes and Apple who are supposed to develop engines of creation that inspire people to create have lost their way. No wonder the Mac Pro's have not been updated in years and the iPad doesn't have a proper high resolution stylus. I for one, whilst finding Apple hardware such as the MBA, Mac Mini and iPod Touch superb, will question my continued loyalty to the platform if they do not reconsider their current immature mind numbing consumption based path. I already boycott all services and publications that require an FB login to gain access and will have no hesitation to drop Apple in full after over 20 years of loyalty if this behaviour does not stop. I hope others comprehend what I am getting at here and will back me up. I estimate 5% will 'Like', the rest will 'Hate'.



     


     


  • Reply 6 of 64
    eriamjheriamjh Posts: 1,630member


    Ugh.  Facebook integration can go suck itself.  

  • Reply 7 of 64


    A Lot of people have not many friends, as I read some of these post's. To think your leaving Apple would start an Lemming jump for people to do the same is sad...and not going to happen.

  • Reply 8 of 64


    I have been using this for a few months now, and although the facebook integration is quite nice, the most annoying thing is the lack of ability to tag people. This is exactly the same problem on iOS 6. OSX and iOS 6 both download your facebook contacts locally, so why in hell can't you tag people into status updates or photos. Even something as simple as using the @joeblow technique would be something.

  • Reply 9 of 64
    oomuoomu Posts: 130member
    What ? You want Apple to "reconsider" ? On what ground ? Because you are angry people use a website to do what they like ?

    -
    You know apple insider itself allow to use Facebook credentials ? It's time you boycott that website too.
  • Reply 10 of 64
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Oflife View Post


    A tragic dumbing down of a once superb OS. FB is a toxic entity that has done more to create a generation of callous dystopian voyeuristic narcissistic shallow low IQ individuals than any other invention in recent history outside of American daytime TV or anything on Sky (UK) that isn't the sports, History or Discover channel. FB has few positive attributes and Apple who are supposed to develop engines of creation that inspire people to create have lost their way. No wonder the Mac Pro's have not been updated in years and the iPad doesn't have a proper high resolution stylus. I for one, whilst finding Apple hardware such as the MBA, Mac Mini and iPod Touch superb, will question my continued loyalty to the platform if they do not reconsider their current immature mind numbing consumption based path. I already boycott all services and publications that require an FB login to gain access and will have no hesitation to drop Apple in full after over 20 years of loyalty if this behaviour does not stop. I hope others comprehend what I am getting at here and will back me up. I estimate 5% will 'Like', the rest will 'Hate'.



     


     


     



     


     


     


     


    Social is *everywhere* and the industry at large wants a) more of it and b) tighter product integration with it. You can leave Apple, but everywhere else you turn, you'll be bumping up against either Facebook or Twitter or Google's social service du jour. 


     


    Your complaints are noted, but your attitude is that of a hopeless tech luddite. Accept the inevitable, and learn to find something about it to enjoy. If not, your stubbornness will result in your marginalization. Eventually there will be no escape. It's ALL ABOUT consumption. Always was. But there are also new avenues of creation that are accessible to everyone. The average consumer has never in the history of modern tech been more empowered with great tools for self-expression. 


     


    I have not encountered a single App that absolutely requires login via Facebook, unless it's specifically Facebook-centric. I don't know where you're coming up with this misinformation, which suggests that this FB login *requirement* is widespread and pervasive. Because it is not. But those who complain about the "dumbing down" of an OPERATING SYSTEM - which is NOT supposed to be complicated to begin with, have a tendency of spreading a mountain of LIES and FUD in order to further their ideas. Tools are *supposed* to be dead-easy to use, empowering, and accessible to ALL. OS X has never in its history been better than it is now. The purpose is to get to your apps, your documents, and then get down to work. DONE. And it's easy. And it's all synced across multiple devices. People have never had more access to all the tools they want and all their media then they do now. 


     


    You just have no personal use for Facebook and look down on those who do, and therefore you don't like seeing its integration into what you think should be a "serious" operating system, whatever THAT means, LOL. 


     


    I love all these complaints about "dumbed down" tools, when in reality, anything not created with simplicity in mind is just poorly engineered. 

  • Reply 11 of 64

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Oflife View Post


    A tragic dumbing down of a once superb OS. FB is a toxic entity that has done more to create a generation of callous dystopian voyeuristic narcissistic shallow low IQ individuals than any other invention in recent history outside of American daytime TV or anything on Sky (UK) that isn't the sports, History or Discover channel. FB has few positive attributes and Apple who are supposed to develop engines of creation that inspire people to create have lost their way. No wonder the Mac Pro's have not been updated in years and the iPad doesn't have a proper high resolution stylus. I for one, whilst finding Apple hardware such as the MBA, Mac Mini and iPod Touch superb, will question my continued loyalty to the platform if they do not reconsider their current immature mind numbing consumption based path. I already boycott all services and publications that require an FB login to gain access and will have no hesitation to drop Apple in full after over 20 years of loyalty if this behaviour does not stop. I hope others comprehend what I am getting at here and will back me up. I estimate 5% will 'Like', the rest will 'Hate'.



    Cool story, bro.

  • Reply 12 of 64
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,822member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Oflife View Post


    A tragic dumbing down of a once superb OS... I already boycott all services and publications that require an FB login to gain access... I hope others comprehend what I am getting at here and will back me up. I estimate 5% will 'Like', the rest will 'Hate'.



     


    I disagree with most of what you write, however, I too ignore sites that require FB membership for access.  FB has lost half of its value since listing ($38.23 -> $19.05) and so hopefully will die before too long (although I'm not expecting it!)

  • Reply 13 of 64
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by Oflife View Post

    A tragic dumbing down of a once superb OS.


     


    Not in the slightest. Facebook on the OS has not changed the other functionality of the OS whatsoever. Apple has not made UI or UX changes to accommodate the idiocy generally associated with social networking. They've just added buttons you can't get rid of if you don't use it, is all.






    …create a generation of callous dystopian voyeuristic narcissistic shallow… …individuals… 



     


    Ooh, I like that description, though. 






    …Apple who are supposed to develop engines of creation that inspire people to create have lost their way.



     


    Nope. You can't say that just because they added social networking.






    No wonder the Mac Pro's have not been updated in years and the iPad doesn't have a proper high resolution stylus.



     


    The former has nothing to do with Apple and the latter isn't the point of the product. Neither are proof nor show any indication that what you said previously is the case.


     




    …will have no hesitation to drop Apple in full after over 20 years of loyalty if this behavior does not stop.



     


    You realize you don't have to do diddly with it at all in any capacity for any reason at any time, right? Same goes for Twitter. You just have to see them. This has nothing to do with Apple. This has nothing to do with anything. You're going to boycott a company because they're not doing something you're pretending they're doing.






    I estimate 5% will 'Like', the rest will 'Hate'.



     


    I'd rather have a rating system with more degrees of intelligence than 0 and 100, but that's a personal opinion. You can imagine how I feel about all websites that have removed their old systems in favor of this disgusting social networking-inspired crap, eh?





    Originally Posted by GadgetCanada View Post

    How to ignore it......hmmmmmmm...........................I'VE GOT IT!!!!   Don't use it. Brilliant!


     


    Except you see the buttons whether you use it or not. Could you think before rehashing this incorrect argument? I'm fine with sociopath networking in my OS as long as it doesn't bloat unnecessarily and I don't have to see or use it to use the OS. My only problem is that I have to see these idiotic buttons whether I use the services or not.


     


    I don't see empty inboxes for qq.com, 123.com, Yahoo!, and Gmail in Mail… since I don't have accounts with them. I shouldn't see Twitter, Flickr, or Facebook buttons or options anywhere in either of my OS' unless I use those services.

  • Reply 14 of 64
    bsenkabsenka Posts: 799member
    How to ignore it......hmmmmmmm...........................I'VE GOT IT!!!!   Don't use it. Brilliant!

    Next on my bucket list is trying to convince Apple to strip all features out of Mac OSX that I don't personally use.

    I don't think anyone wants these features to not be available for those who might want them. The issue is Apple has shown an increasing propensity to change things in such a way that the end user CAN'T ignore them. Being able to work the way you want to used to be Apple's hallmark, now you quite often can't turn off features that you don't want.

    With FB integration, I definitely would want Apple to allow me to turn it off entirely. Knowing how they've been operating lately though, I'd actually expect them to make it both permanent and annoyingly obtrusive.
  • Reply 15 of 64
    I shouldn't see Twitter, Flickr, or Facebook buttons or options anywhere in either of my OS' unless I use those services.

    Agreed. Not only do I not want to see the buttons for services I don't use but I want to see buttons for the ones I do use (I'm thinking Glassboard right now). It would be great if there was an API that any service could tap into to add a Share Button. Let it all be managed in a Preference Pane.

    Also, make it available on iOS and OS X.
  • Reply 16 of 64
    genovellegenovelle Posts: 1,480member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by bsenka View Post





    I don't think anyone wants these features to not be available for those who might want them. The issue is Apple has shown an increasing propensity to change things in such a way that the end user CAN'T ignore them. Being able to work the way you want to used to be Apple's hallmark, now you quite often can't turn off features that you don't want.

    With FB integration, I definitely would want Apple to allow me to turn it off entirely. Knowing how they've been operating lately though, I'd actually expect them to make it both permanent and annoyingly obtrusive.


     

    #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }

    Like Really?!!  I'm sure there are lots of drop down menus and buttons you don't use.  


    #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }

     
  • Reply 17 of 64
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by genovelle View Post

    Like Really?!!  I'm sure there are lots of drop down menus and buttons you don't use.  


     


    Completely different example.

  • Reply 18 of 64

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    Except you see the buttons whether you use it or not. Could you think before rehashing this incorrect argument? I'm fine with sociopath networking in my OS as long as it doesn't bloat unnecessarily and I don't have to see or use it to use the OS. My only problem is that I have to see these idiotic buttons whether I use the services or not.


     


    I don't see empty inboxes for qq.com, 123.com, Yahoo!, and Gmail in Mail… since I don't have accounts with them. I shouldn't see Twitter, Flickr, or Facebook buttons or options anywhere in either of my OS' unless I use those services.



     


    You make a good point, having the option to edit the share sheet list would be nice. However, Facebook is approaching a billion users (800+ million as of March). It is far more prevalent in people's everyday life than qq.com or Yahoo. Apple is carefully and slowly adding to the share sheet list and likely won't go much further than Facebook and Twitter for a long time. In ML 10.8.2, the share sheet list has six listings with the two social services listed at the bottom (twitter and facebook). If there was a unwieldly list of 20 or so services, I can see a problem but we are only talking about 6 listings (with only 2 being social sites). This one added menu item is far from Apple catering to the social sites and shouldn't really be made into an issue.

  • Reply 19 of 64
    yosh01yosh01 Posts: 16member


    A tragic dumbing down of a once superb OS. FB is a toxic entity that has done more to create a generation of callous dystopian voyeuristic narcissistic shallow low IQ individuals than any other invention in recent history outside of American daytime TV or anything on Sky (UK) that isn't the sports, History or Discover channel. FB has few positive attributes and Apple who are supposed to develop engines of creation that inspire people to create have lost their way. No wonder the Mac Pro's have not been updated in years and the iPad doesn't have a proper high resolution stylus. I for one, whilst finding Apple hardware such as the MBA, Mac Mini and iPod Touch superb, will question my continued loyalty to the platform if they do not reconsider their current immature mind numbing consumption based path. I already boycott all services and publications that require an FB login to gain access and will have no hesitation to drop Apple in full after over 20 years of loyalty if this behaviour does not stop. I hope others comprehend what I am getting at here and will back me up. I estimate 5% will 'Like', the rest will 'Hate'.


     


    I totally agree.

  • Reply 20 of 64
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by GadgetCanada View Post

    However, Facebook is approaching a billion users (800+ million as of March).


     


    In 2022, no kid will be able to tell you what Facebook was. In 2017 it'll probably be used as examples in business school of what not to do.


     


    Prevalence doesn't imply success or even long-term desirability. You don't see bell-bottoms anywhere anymore, and I doubt that this thickness of necktie will be back in style for a good long while, if ever. image


     



     


    For the record, I still like it, though. Dunno; it just has more appeal to me than the variable thickness ties.

Sign In or Register to comment.