No Need to Login to Comment

Want to leave a comment, but don't want to join Disqus?  And you don't want to login using your Disqus, Facebook, Twitter, or Google (Google+?) accounts either?  No problem - simply leave a comment as a guest.  Here's how:

1)  Ignore the "login" drop down in the upper-right corner of the commenting section.
2)  Click inside the comment box (you don't even have to type your comment, yet - but you can if you want).

3)  You should now see a "Name" box appear below the comment box.
4)  Click inside the "Name" box (as before, you don't have to enter a name now, but you can if you want).

5)  You should now see (2) additional field boxes labeled "E-mail" and "Password".  Ignore the "password" box*.

6)  Look for the "I'd rather post as guest" check box and check it*.

7)  If you haven't already done so, type your comment, name**, and an e-mail address† in the corresponding boxes (of course).

8)  When you're ready to publish, click the Right-Arrow (publish) button.

Unfortunately, you must provide an e-mail address.  However, as far as I know, it does not have to be a valid e-mail address, just one with a valid format (i.e. "name@domain.extention", where "extension" is a typical web extension, such as "com", "net", or "org").

Disqus used to support "Gravatars" and the e-mail address was used to retrieve the Gravatar associated with that address.  But they no longer support Gravatars, so...not sure why an e-mail address is still required (probably easier to leave it in and if it is still there, it leaves the possibility of re-enabling Gravatars or using some other, similar system "in the future").  The e-mail address is not visible (or "clickable" as far as I can tell) on the post.  I, however, will be able to see the e-mail address in my Disqus admin section.  Disqus does have a "continue discussion via e-mail" option, but I have never used that.  But a valid e-mail address would be required to use it (natch).

So if you were one of the at least one person {yes, that structure was used on purpose} who thought you had to create a Disqus account to leave a comment, now you know.


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* Unless you want to use your Disqus, Facebook, Twitter, or Google (Google+?) accounts and link your comment to them.

** Does not have to be your real name.  It can be any name or nick that you are known by or fill in "anonymous" if you want.  Please DO NOT (knowingly) use someone else's name, though - that would be wrong and potentially fraud.  (Now, if you just happen to have the same name or nick as someone else...)

† Hmmm...I already addressed this in the body of the post, making this footnote superfluous.