Automattic Buys Intense Debate: RIP Disqus?
Tags: Automattic | Blogging | comments | Disqus | Intense Debate | Matt Mullenweg | Wordpress
I knew there was a reason I held off on implementing the Disqus comment system on this WordPress blog, despite Disqus’ popularity. Turns out Automattic, the WordPress guys, just bought Disqus competitor Intense Debate.
At WordCamp Philippines, I asked WordPress creator Matt Mullenweg what would happen if Disqus threaded comments couldn’t be imported into the upcoming WordPress 2.7 threaded comments. He said I’d have to ask Disqus to fix it, not Automattic. Clearly, Intense Debate won’t have that problem.
Integration and bundling with popular platforms is always a powerful competitive advantage. Disqus will now have to work doubly hard to compete with Intense Debate, since they’ll effectively be competing with WordPress itself.
What does this all this mean for you, dear reader? It means the comment system on this blog will soon get a whole lot more intense. 
October 7th, 2008 at 3:11 am
We’ll just have to see what WordPress has put into the table with their new comment integration. If I’ll ever have my own blog, I wouldn’t know which to use, though.
October 7th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Use Wordpress, Romeo. It is the Google of blogging.
October 8th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Yeah, so I’ve heard. But I feel like kinda lazy, though. But I’ll hold on to that thought, anyway.
October 8th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
If you’re feeling lazy, start with Wordpress.com. It can import your Blogspot posts, it will get you used to the interface, and it can export your posts to a hosted Wordpress blog later on.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I did. But it doesn’t seem to catch all the pictures and videos I embedded. I’ll deal with it some other time.
Thanks for the recommendation. I need a ton of “alone” time to make my wordpress blog fly. 