https://dandylyons.net/topics/disqus/Recent content in Disqus on Daniel LyonsHugo -- gohugo.ioen-gbThu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://dandylyons.net/posts/adding-chirpy-comments/Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://dandylyons.net/posts/adding-chirpy-comments/<p>I needed a comment system for this blog. Not because I expect a flood of discussion (let&rsquo;s be honest, most personal tech blogs don&rsquo;t) but because those rare moments when someone has a question or insight are worth enabling. The challenge? Finding a solution that respects privacy, stays free or cheap, and doesn&rsquo;t require a PhD in server administration.</p> <h2 id="the-search-what-i-actually-needed">The Search: What I Actually Needed</h2> <p>My requirements were straightforward:</p> <ol> <li><strong>Privacy-preserving</strong> - No aggressive tracking or data selling</li> <li><strong>No account required</strong> - Reduce friction for commenters</li> <li><strong>Anonymous commenting</strong> - Allow users to comment without revealing their identity</li> <li><strong>Free or cheap</strong> - This is a personal blog, not a business</li> <li><strong>Proper moderation</strong> - I need to delete spam and get notified of new comments</li> <li><strong>Simple setup</strong> - Ideally just drop in a script tag</li> <li><strong>Future flexibility</strong> - Open source preferred, so I could self-host later if needed</li> </ol> <h2 id="why-not-disqus">Why Not Disqus?</h2> <p>I tried <a href="https://disqus.com">Disqus</a> first. It&rsquo;s the obvious choice. It&rsquo;s nearly ubiquitous, feature-rich, and easy to set up. But the more I learned about its privacy practices, the less comfortable I felt.</p>