The initial plugins include PollDaddy (another Automattic acquisition), YouTube, and Seesmic, for recording videos from within the commenting plugin. There’s also a new “smileys” plugin that includes a bunch of different emoticons that your readers can use in comments. Developers who want to build plugins can go here to learn more, while the video below offers further explanation of the platform:
The advantages of third-party commenting systems are becoming clearer each day it seems (disclosure: Mashable just announced a partnership with IntenseDebate rival Disqus). Without any effort, you get new features automatically pushed to the comment area on your blog, and with distribution features that push comments to social media sites, additional traffic. Adding a plugin platform as IntenseDebate is doing will only increase the available options for blog publishers.
What features do you hope to see developers build for Intense Debate and other comment systems? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.