A Q & A guide to McClatchyDC's new commenting service | McClatchy Washington Bureau

Update 10-27-10: Here are some troubleshooting tips if you're having problems logging into Disqus or staying logged in.

McClatchyDC has switched to a new article commenting service called Disqus. Disqus offers many new options to watch, follow and share comments, and it provides greater accountability among contributors to improve the quality of comments.

As with any major change, however, there may be problems and questions. Here's a quick guide to the new system.

Do I need to register again?

Can I sign in using my Facebook or Twitter login?

Can I keep my old Avatar?

Can I keep the same screen name?

How can I edit my own comment?

How can I delete my own comment?

Can I still indicate my approval of comments using the "recommend" button?

Can I "reply" to comments?

How do I flag a comment I think is abusive or inappropriate?

What are some of the new features we'll get with Disqus?

What happened to my old comments?

What about my profile and personal blog page?

Who do I contact to complain?

No. If you're already registered with McClatchyDC, your existing login information will continue to work. If you've forgotten your username and password, you can have the information resent to you by visiting this link.

Yes. In addition to being able to log in and comment using your existing McClatchyDC username and password, you can use your login and password for Disqus, Facebook or Twitter.

Avatars didn't migrate to the new commenting system. We've created a default Avatar for readers who log in using their McClatchyDC user names and passwords. If you want to display a unique Avatar, you'll need to upload one to Disqus, Facebook or Twitter, and then sign in using that service.

Yes. Your McClatchyDC screen name remains unchanged. However, if you log in and post comments using a Disqus, Facebook or Twitter account, your screen name will be the one you use on that service.

Once you post a comment, the comment appears to you with an "edit" button below it.

If you delete a comment in Disqus, the comment does not disappear from where it was posted. Instead, its ownership changes from you to "anonymous" or "guest." The only way for a comment to be completely eliminated is by a moderator.

To delete a comment, go to your Disqus account at http://disqus.com/profile/mycomments. You can view, edit and delete any of your comments from there.

To delete a comment posted via Facebook or Twitter, your account would need to be linked to a Disqus account.

Yes, but this button has been renamed "Like."

Yes. The ability to reply to specific comments is unchanged.

Place your cursor on the comment. A link labeled flag will appear. Click it and follow the instructions.

You'll be able to select how comment threads are organized. Some people prefer to read the newest comments first, while others prefer to start with the oldest comments. Others prefer to sort by the comments that have the highest ratings (the highest number of "likes") or are the most popular (the highest number of "likes" and replies). The choice will now be yours. You can lock in your personal preference by selecting from among the options in the "Sort by" drop down menu above the comments you're reading. This setting follows you across the site as you read articles, and it can be changed at your convenience.

You'll have the option of subscribing via e-mail to a comment thread by clicking the "Subscribe by e-mail" button at the bottom of the comment box. New comments will be sent directly to your inbox, where you may read and respond.

You'll also be able to subscribe to a comment thread via RSS by clicking the "Subscribe by RSS" button at the bottom of the comment box. This link will include step-by-step instructions on how to set up an RSS subscription.

If you're logged in using your Facebook account, you'll be able to share your comments on articles to your Facebook profile page by clicking the "Share on Facebook" link beneath the comment box. This is a per-post selection, so every time you comment on an article or reply to another comment, you'll need to indicate your interest in sharing the post to Facebook.

They disappeared when the new service went live. Sorry.

Those services have been discontinued. We found that fewer than 1 percent of users set up profiles or personal blogs, and there wasn't an easy way to find friends' profiles. Most users rely on Facebook as their primary profile site. Our hope is that the additional Facebook login option will provide our readers with the best of both worlds: the ability to comment on McClatchyDC with their Facebook account information and the ability to share selected posts to their Facebook profile pages.

For problems with article commenting or for feedback on the changes, please e-mail web@mcclatchydc.com.