If Disqus is so wonderful, then why isn't Jeff using them here?

Donnacha makes it sound like anyone who doesn't use them is an idiot.

There are certainly good reasons why many sites steer away from them. Services fail all the time.

There are privacy concerns as well.

Do you want all your comments on all sites that you comment on, aggregated under your Disqus profile for all the world to see? Now, the world knows what sites you're on, whether you have cancer or not, what blogs you read, if you comment on "adult" blogs, what your political views are, etc.

You open a delicious can of worms and the recent NSA spying scandal is certainly proof of that! It should give anyone pause for concern.

Yes, you can hire a plumber. But you certainly wouldn't let him LIVE in your house!