Intense Debate, WordPress, Disqus Commenting PlatformsRecently I changed commenting systems from the WordPress default to using Intense Debate and then switching to Disqus.  This need for change was due in part that I began thinking my blog needed to open up and get a bit more social.   At that time, if you wanted to comment on ToMuse you needed to register.  That requirement was put into place for several reasons that included cracking down on spammers, using the Social Profiles plugin, and helping to ensure good thought provoking comments instead of useless driveby link-dropping drivel.

Why Use WordPress Default Commenting?
The default comment system that WordPress uses is great because it permits total customization and allows you to easily tack on functions.  There are several WP plugins that can be used to enhance the overall form and function of the comments system on a WordPress blog.  These include WordPress Thread Comment, Highlight Author Comments, Comment Relish, Comment Redirect, Social Profiles, Comment Email Responder, Email Commenters, Minimum Comment Length, Subscribe To Comments, and WP Ajax Edit Comments.  There are many other WP comment plugins that are very popular as well.  What’s more, the default WP commenting platform doesn’t use javascript and therefore can be viewed by individuals whom block javascript from loading in their browsers (i.e. many Firefox users).

Why Use Intense Debate Commenting System?
Initially I chose Intense Debate because I figured that since Automattic (owner of WP) owns it, compatibility would be less of an issue compared to Disqus.  Installing the Intense Debate plugin for WordPress was a piece of cake.  I was able to sync my old comments such that they quickly displayed in the new Intense Debate commenting system on my blog.  New comments that were posted using Intense Debate also appeared in my default WP commenting system too.  This is especially important as Google and other search engines may not see the javascript based comments that are created by ID but they will crawl and index WP-based comments.  Also if at any time I decided to stop using ID, which I later did, I wanted to maintain possession of the comments that were posted while ID.

Why I Stopped Using Intense Debate
Intense Debate works like a charm.  I encountered no problems whatsoever using ID and the only reason I dumped it in exchange for Disqus was that ID doesn’t currently off Facebook Connect or Twitter Sign In.  Disqus seems to be driving full steam ahead, constantly implementing new features and offering good support for it’s users.  In contrast, I posted a request to integrate Facebook Connect (like many other users) and Twitter Sign In capabilities on Intense Debate’s feedback site but received no response.  The Facebook Connect feature request was submitted quite awhile ago and while ID offered a limited roll-out of Facebook Connect back in March, there’s been no indication of when it’s going to be available for everyone.

My Experience With Disqus
I installed Disqus yesterday but encountered some trouble getting it up and running on the site.  The problem wasn’t Disqus’ fault, it was mine really.  I had initially associated my blog with an older Disqus account and needed to reassign it.  Apparently there was a glitch at Disqus such that the removal of my blog from that older Disqus account didn’t take.  After getting a hold of @Disqus on Twitter, they were able to quickly remedy the problem.  Other problems I’ve encounter with the Disqus commenting system include 1) the inability to import many of my older WP comments into Disqus despite new Disqus-to-WP comments working, and 2) the inability to moderate/reply/add comments from the WP comments admin panel and have it carry over into the Disqus commenting system.  What I love about Disqus however is its multiple access points (i.e. Facebook Connect, etc.) and the Disqus team’s desire to innovate and support its users.

Disqus Versus Intense Debate Feature List

  • Comment Threading – Both
  • Reply By Email – Both
  • Email Notifications – Both
  • Commenter Profiles – Both
  • Moderation – Both offer the ability to edit, delete, mark as spam, ban/blacklist comments/commenters
  • Comment Voting – Both (ID uses thumbs up/down voting, Disqus uses “Like”)
  • Widgets/Tools – Both
  • Comment On Twitter – Both offer the ability to post your comment on Twitter too
  • Comment RSS – Both
  • Gravatar Support – Both automatically identify and load commenter’s Gravatar via the associated email address
  • Trackbacks – Both ID and Disqus sync and handle trackbacks and pingbacks quite well
  • Two-way Comment Sync – Comments posted using either ID or Disqus are synced with the default WP comment system
  • Facebook Connect – only Disqus
  • Twitter Sign In – only Disqus
  • OpenID – Only supported by ID, Disqus provides workaround via Clickpass
  • Off-site Comment Retrieval – While ID only offers this for FriendFeed, Disqus pulls in comments from FriendFeed and many other sites (e.g. Hacker News, YouTube, etc.)
  • Profile Sync – When you sign in to WP it auto logs you into the ID commenting system and comments you post sync to both profiles. While Disqus comments sync with your profile on WP, you still have to sign into Disqus separately.
  • Post Settings To Comment System Administration – Closing and opening comments on a post and changing post titles are automatically are reflected in ID. It is currently unknown if Disqus supports this ability or not.

Final Thoughts
Really there is very little difference between the two commenting systems.  While Intense Debate appears to synchronize much better with WordPress, the Disqus team seems more willing to add social features (i.e. Facebook/Twitter login, multiple off-site comment retrieval sources).  I’m going to continue to use Disqus for the time being but I plan to re-evaluate its use in a week or so.  Currently I’m still drawn to using the default WordPress comment system as it permits more customization.  As a blog owner, if I could integrate Facebook Connect, Twitter Sign In, OpenID, push comments to Twitter/Facebook, and off-site comment retrieval within the default WP comment system I’d use it instead of ID or Disqus.  As a commenter, however, I also understand the desire to track my comments across multiple sites by using Disqus, ID, or BackType.  Perhaps integrating something like BackType with the native WP comments system is another option I should consider?

Update: See the followup post regarding my experience using Disqus on this blog.

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