VTDigger is changing its commenting platform — again.
Starting next week, comments on this site will be supported by Talk, a tool created by The Coral Project. This platform was developed in collaboration with several major news websites and is supported by Mozilla, the company behind the Firefox web browser.
Wait a minute. Didn’t you just switch commenting platforms?
Yes, that’s true. We know many of our users weren’t happy with our last transition, and we’re sorry to spring another one on you so soon. Here’s what happened:
In early 2017, we found that our website could no longer support our previous commenting system. So we switched to Disqus, one of the most widely-used platforms on the web.
We admit it — this didn’t always go well. Readers reported consistent problems logging into and using the site. Then, late last year, Disqus was acquired by Zeta Global, a data and marketing company. This led to concerns over how the service would collect and use personal data — concerns we want to avoid going forward.
We believe this new platform will solve a number of the issues readers saw with Disqus. We encourage you to test it out at the bottom of this page.
Where do I start?
You’ll need to create a Talk account to use the new system.
First, scroll to the comments section at the bottom of this page. Then click “Sign in to comment.”
Click “Register.” Enter a valid email address.
Your Username must be your first and last name. Do not use spaces. (Underscores are allowed.) Choose a password at least 8 characters long.
Click “Sign Up.” In the same window, sign in using the same email address and the password you just created.
Back on this page, leave a comment to test the system.
I’m a regular commenter. What happens to my old posts?
We’re migrating posts from Disqus over to the new system, so your old comments will remain visible. If you register for Talk using the same email address you used for Disqus, your old comments will be attached to your new account.
How soon do I have to change my login?
Right now, we’re only testing Talk on this page — the rest of the site will still use Disqus for the next week. Starting April 18, every article will use Talk, and Disqus will disappear from our site.
You may want to keep your Disqus account since other websites use it, but if you want to delete your information, use these instructions.
Why not delete the comments system altogether?
We’ve heard suggestions from readers that we stop hosting discussions, given the argumentative tone of many of these posts. We’ve also heard from dedicated readers who value having a space to express their opinions about the issues that we cover. Both are valid points.
Our thinking — for now, at least — is that we want to keep providing this space for readers to respond. We hope that the tools offered by this new platform, along with an updated set of discussion guidelines, will help us keep that conversation more constructive.
I still have questions.
Good! We’re counting on you to point out anything we’ve missed. Please leave any questions in the comments section below, and we’ll respond.
To post below, you’ll need to log in using Talk. If you’re having trouble with that first step, please get in touch: Email comments@vtdigger.org or call (802) 225-6224.
