Q&A: What is Disqus?

Disqus is The Fresno Bee’s new online story commenting system. It offers many new options to watch, follow and share comments -- and promotes greater accountability among contributors to boost the quality of comments.

Will I need to register again?

No. Your existing login information will continue to work.

Will I be able to log in using Facebook or Twitter?

Yes. In addition to your fresnobee.com login, you may use your Facebook, Twitter or Disqus accounts to post comments.

Will I be able to keep the screen name I post my article comments under?

Yes. Your fresnobee.com screen name will remain unchanged. If you decide to log in using Facebook, Twitter or Disqus, your screen name will match what you use on that service.

Can I keep my old avatar?

No. Avatars (little pictures that accompany your posts) will no longer be available if you sign on using your fresnobee.com account. You may use an avatar if you post comments using your Facebook, Twitter or Disqus accounts, however.

Will I still be able to “recommend” stories?

Yes. But this button has been renamed "Like."

Will I be able to report abusive comments?

Yes. As before, readers may flag comments as inappropriate, and they will be reviewed by editors.

So what are some of the new features we will get with Disqus?

• You will be able to select how comment threads are organized. As before, you will be able to read the newest or oldest comments first. You also will be able to sort comments by rating (highest number of “likes”) or popularity (highest number of “likes” and replies). You can lock in your personal preference by selecting from among the options presented in the “Sort by” drop down menu that appears above the comments you are reading. This setting follows you across the site as your read articles and can be changed at your convenience.

• You will have the option of subscribing via email to a comment thread by clicking “Subscribe by email” at the bottom of the comment box. New comments will be sent directly to your email inbox, where you may read and respond by email.
• You will be able to subscribe via RSS to a comment thread by clicking “Subscribe by RSS” at the bottom of the comment box. This link will include step-by-step instructions on how to set up the RSS subscription.
• If you are logged in using your Facebook account, you will be able to share your comments on specific articles to your Facebook profile page, just by clicking the “Share on Facebook” link directly beneath the comment box. This is a per-post selection, so each time you comment on an article or reply to another comment, you will need to indicate your interest in sharing the post to Facebook.

What will happen to my old comment posts?

We are taking this opportunity to start fresh. Comments posted using our old system will disappear 24 hours after Disqus goes live. Profile pages, used by just a few of our readers, also will go away. We think Facebook is a better way for readers to share information about themselves.

Why did my comment not appear on the site?

Disqus automatically blocks posts that contain flagged words or potential spam. They will appear once approved by a human moderator.

Whom should I contact with questions?

For problems with article commenting, please email systems editor Gary Funk at gfunk@fresnobee.com. For feedback on the changes, email assistant managing editor John Rich at jrich@fresnobee.com.